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Evidence  taken 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #732 

0^011,335  + 


EVIDENCE 


TAKBN    CETO»K  THE 


COMMITTEE  OF  TnE  BOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 


APPOINTED  TO  ENQUIRE  INTO  THE  TREATMENT 
OF  PRISONERS  AT  CASTLE  THUNDER. 


Saturday,  April  l\th,  1863. 

William  Causey,  sworn —I  live  in  Elizabeth  City  county  ;  but  have 
been  in  Richmond  since  January,  1361,  employed  as  a  detective  in 
General  Winder's  detective  police  force. 

I  know  something  of  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners.  They  are 
put  in  huddles,  sometimes  five  hundred  and  seven  hundred  in 
building.  Sometimes  they  are  treated  well  by  the  commandan. 
the  wardens ;  but  I  have  seen  them  severely  punished.  I  have  seen 
them  tied  by  the  thumbs,  and  raised  up  on  their  toes.  I  don't  think 
their's  could  have  been  very  aggravted  offences;  rather  think  it  waa 
for  disagreements  among  themselves.  I  don't  know  how  long  they 
remained  tied  up,  but,  from  the  best  information,  they  were  kept  some- 
times eight  hours.  I  don't  know  that  any  of  the  sick  prisoners  were 
thus  treated.  I  saw  a  man  hand-cuffed  around  a  post,  raised  up  at 
first  and  afterwards  cut  down  when  his  blood  had  stagnated.  I  don't 
know  what  offence  he  had  committed.  On  another  occasion  a  canteen 
of  gun-powder  was  exploded  in  the  prison  room  by  some  of  the  prison- 
ers. The  powder  was  collected  from  cartridges,  and  was  not  much  in 
quantitv.  I  betid  the  report  of  it  ten  minutes  after  its  occurrence, 
and  rode  up'to  General  Winder's  office  .vith  Captain  Alexander.  While 
in  General  Winder's  office  Captain  Alexander  reported  the  circum- 
stances of  the  powder  explosion.  1  don't  know  what  the  General  said, 
but  Captain  Alexander  went  back  to  the  prison,  and  put  the  men  down 
in  the  pen  outside,  where  they  remained  two  or  three  days.  They 
had  no  covering,  and  it  was  raining.     The  men  in  the  pen  were  those 


in  the  room  where  the  powder  was  exploded.  Captain  Alexander  de- 
manded the  names  of  those  who  put  the  powder  in  the  stove,  and  be- 
cause the  men  refused  to  tell,  put  them  all  in  the  pen.  It  was  last 
fall,  in  the  month  of  November,  I  think.  I  heard  of  some  of  them 
dying  shortly  afterwards.  They  died  after  that  I  am  positive,  but  I 
never  knew  their  names.  Prisoners  guilty  of  bad  offences  have  irons 
on  them  generally,  but  I  don't  think  any  of  the  men  put  in  the  pen 
had  irons  on. 

I  think  two  men  have  been  shot  at  the  prison  since  Captaiu  Alex- 
ander has  been  in  charge,  and  one  on  Franklin  street  at  the  guard- 
house. The  man  killed  at  the  guard-house  was  shot  while  attempting 
to  escape.  In  my  opinion,  all  could  have  been  arrested  without  being 
shot.  The  desperate  men  were  generally  put  in  Castle  Godwin.  The 
soldiers  picked  up  on  the  street  are  put  in  this  prison.  Castle  Godwin 
is  not  part  of  Castle  Thunder;  Thunder  was  Godwin's  successor  in 
cognoman  after  removal.  The  man  shot  a  few  nights  ago  at  Castle 
Thunder  certainly  could  have  been  captured  without  shooting.  There 
is  a  standing  order  to  shoot  only  if  he  cannot  otherwise  be  arrested. 

I  have  seen  prisoners  whipped ;  but  I  don't  know  by  whose  or  what 
authority.  I  have  seen  men  severely  whipped  on  the  buttocks  with 
straps ;  don't  know  how  many  lashes  were  laid  on,  but  I  should  think 
about  fifty.  I  only  saw  one  whipping.  On  this  occasion  the  officers 
were  requested  by  Captain  Alexander  to  go  up  into  the  prison  room 
end  see  the  men  whipped.  The  whipping  strap  was  secured  on  to 
wooden  handles.  They  were  made  of  harness  leather  or  sole  leather 
from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  in  length.  The  blows  were  laid  on 
about  as  hard  as  a  man  could  do  it.  I  have  seen  prisoners  wear  the 
feame  clothes  for  months  until  they  were  ready  to  drop  off  in  rags.  I 
think  there  have  been  instances  of  attempts  to  bribe  the  guard. 

Schaffer,  sworn. — I  reside  in  Richmond,  and  am  a  detective  in 
General  Winder's  force.  The  prisoners  are  treated  according  to  their 
behavior.  Some  of  them,  I  think,  I  have  been  cruelly  treated.  They 
were  punished  sometimes  for  fighting,  sometimes  for  stealing.  I  have 
seen  them  whipped,  one.  received  fifteen  lasshes,  another  twenty-five, 
and  a  third  fifty  lashes.  The  prisoner  that  received  fifty  lashes  was 
pretty  severely  cut. 

I  know  something  about  putting  the  prisoners  out  in  the  back  yard. 
It  was  in  November,  and  it  was  raining  during  a  portion  of  the  time. 
They  were  put  there  for  exploding  gunpowder  in  the  building.  The 
prisoners  who  were  put  out  were  put  there  because  they  would  not  tell 
who  did  it.  Some  of  those  men  died  afterwards.  I  could  not  say 
who  gave  the  order  to  put  the  men  in  the  yard,  but  I  suppose  Captain 
Alexander  ordered  them  to  be  put  there.  They  had  generally  wollen 
clothes  on.  Two  men  have  been  killed  in  Castle  Thunder,  and  oue  in 
Franklin  street  guard  house.  The  man  last  mentioned  was  attempt- 
ing to  escape  when  shot.  Of  the  other  men,  one  of  them  was  a  de- 
ranged man,  and  was  put  in  a  cell.  He  got  out  of  the  cell,  and  in 
attempting  to  get  away  was  halted  by  the  sentinel,  but  not  heeding,^ 
was  shot  by  him.    He  was  a  Yankee  prisoner,  brought  from  the  Libby 


3 

prison,  and  shot  the  same  night.     I  have  seen  two  men  whipped  in 
Castle  Thunder,  but  it  "was  done  by  order  of  the   court  martial. 

I  have  seen  prisoners."  bucked  "  for  one  or  two  hours.  Some  of 
them  had  attempted  to  escape  ;  others  had  been  insulting  to  the  officers 
of  the  prison.  Some  of  the  prisoners  are  well  clad,  and  others 
very  poorly.  Some  have  no  bed  clothing.-  I  have  been  connected 
with  the  prison  over  one  year.  I  know  the  prisoners  need  clothing, 
and  common  decency  requires  that  they  should  be  better  clothed.  The 
prison  is  kept  very  clean,  as  clean  as  it  well  can  be.  The  printed 
rules  require  this.  I  have  never  heard  the  officers  of  the  prison 
abuse  the  prisoners  unless  the  prisoners  were  refractory.  One  pris- 
oners' clotning  is  very  frequently  stolen  by  the  others. 

Robert  B.  Crow  sworn. — I  am  a  resident  of  Richmond,  and  have 
been  for  forty  years.  I  am  one  of  the  detective  force  under  the  Pro- 
vost Marshal,  or  rather,  General  Winder.  Of  the  treatment  of  the 
prisoners  at  Castle  Thunder,  I  know  very  little  except  from  hearsay, 
as  my  position  does  not  require  me  beyond  the  office.  I  can  recall  an 
instance  or  two  of  their  treatment.  On  one  occasion,  I  remember, 
Captain  Alexander  had  one  of  the  prisoners  whipped  for  garroting  or 
robbing  another  prisoner,  I  did  not  see  him  whipped,  but  heard  that 
he  was  whipped,  and  I  presume  the  captain  gave  the  order  to  have 
him  whipped.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  was  whipped  on  his  bare 
back  or  not.  I  say  I  do  not  know  it  of  my  own  knowledge,  but  I 
think  he  was.  I  know  of  the  prisoners  being  turned  out  in  the  Cattle 
yard,  but  do  not  know  what  their  offence  was.  It  was  in  quite  cold 
weather,  and  rainy,  and  they  had  nothing  to  cover  them  but  the 
clothing  they  had  on,  and  no  roof  covering  to  shelter  them.  I  do  not 
know  what  their  offence  was ;  do  not  know  what  rations  they  had 
while  out  there,  nor  whether  they  had  bed  clothing  or  not.  The  yard 
is  an  ordinary  one,  Availed  in  ;  do  not  know  how  large  it  is.  I  know 
two  or  three  prisoners  to  have  been  ki'led  at  the  Castle.  One  was 
the  case  of  a  Yankee  who  was  shot,  and  the  other  case  that  of  the 
deserter,  (Carroll.)  shot  the  other  night  in  trying  to  escape.  The  one 
that  was  shot  last  was  shot  lying  down,  dragging  himself  along  the 
balcony,  trying  to  get  out.  1  was  not  present  at  the  time.  Some  of 
the  prisoners  are  well  clad,  and  others  again  are  very  indifferently 
clothed.  The  prison  room  is  comfortable;  there  is  a  very  large  st>vo 
in  it. 

T.  G.  Bland  sworn. — I  am  from  Louisiana,  and  was  former  steward 
of  the  prison  hospital.  I  went  there  on  the  10th  of  November  last, 
and  was  relieved  from  duty  on  the  4th  of  the  present  month.  In 
rd  to  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners  confined  there,  I  myself  was 
a  prisoner  four  months  in  Fort  Delaware,  and,  from  experience,  I 
consiler  the  prisoners  treated  well  there  to  what  they  are  here.  I 
codsider  them  most  barbarously  and  inhumanely  treated.  On  one 
occasion  ten  or  fifteen  of  the  prisoners  were  brought  nut  in  a  lartre- 
hall,  two  of  theai  accused  of  stealing   from    the   prisoners.     Two  01 


of  the  number  brought  out  were  Dot  whipped,  they  were  sick,  I  believe, 
and  that  was  the  reason.  I  do  not  think  the  whipping  was  done  by 
order  of  th*  court  martial,  as  Captain  Alexander  had  the  men  brought 
out  himself.  The  prisoners  were  stripped  and  whipped  on  the  bare 
back,  each  receiving  ten  or  twelve  lashes  laid  on  by  the  strongest  man 
in  Captain  Bossieux's  company.  The  words  Capatin  Alexander  used 
while  the  whipping  was  going  on  were  "  lay  it  on  ! "  They  were 
whipped  for  stealing  money,  and,  as  they  were  all  hard  cases,  every 
one  of  them,  some  of  them  did  steal  it,  no  doubt,  but  none  had  a 
chance  of  vindicating  themselves.  They  were  tied  up  to  a  post  and 
whipped.  The  general  treatment  of  the  prisoners  is  very  good,  but 
some  of  the  officers  of  the  prison  treat  the  prisoners  as  though  they 
were  dogs  instead  of  soldiers,  fighting  in  the  common  cause  of  the 
Confederacy. 

[Captain  Alexander  here  suggested  that  the  witnesses  be  kept  sepa- 
rate from  the  witness  delivering  his  testimony,  as  customary  in  pro- 
ceedings of  the  kind  before  the  committee.  The  Chairman  of  the 
committee  said  he  judged  the  witnesses  present  were  all  honorable 
men,  and  would  not  suffer  their  own  ideas  to  be  influenced  by  the 
testimony  of  a  witness.  He,  however,  yielded  the  point,  and  all  the 
witnesses  except  the  one  under  investigation  were  sent  from  the  com- 
mittee room.] 

Mr.  Bland  resumed. — I  have  heard  of  men  being  killed  at  the  pri- 
son. I  helped  to  put  one  in  a  coffin  myself,  and  sent  the  corpse  to 
the  undertaker.  He  was  shot  while  trying  to  escape.  I  have 
seen  men  handcuffed  around  a  large  pillow,  and  one  of  these  I  saw  so 
punished  was  taken  from  the  hospital.  His  offence  was  trying  to 
bribe  the  guard.  Neither  had  iions  on  them.  The  sick  man  was 
under  the  surgeon's  care  then.  He  was  handcuffed  around  the  pillow 
between  five  and  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  when  I  got  back  to  tho 
prison  at  eleven  o'clock  the  same  night,  he  was  still  there,  and  I  do 
not  know  how  long  after  that.  The  worst  characters  in  the  prison 
are  handcuffed,  and  wear  ball  and  chain  ;  the  others,  who  are  not  so 
desperate,  are  left  to  go  free.  Those  tied  up  could  not  have  been  in 
for  very  serious  offences.  I  know  the  prisoners  were  put  out  in  the 
yard,  and  kept  there  for  two  or  three  days.  Some  of  them  were  thinly 
and  badly  clothed,  and  others  were  well  clad.  The  citizen  prisoners 
are  generally  clothed  well,  and  the  soldiers  poorly,  having  no  change. 
Some  of  those  exposed  in  the  yard  were  brought  up  into  the  hospital 
afterwards,  sick  with  the  pneumonia,  and  I  heard  the  surgeon  (Dr. 
Coggin)  say  that  the  exposure  in  tho  yard  made  them  ill,  and  nothing 
else.  Several  of  them  died  in  the  hospital  of  pneumonia.  The  season 
was  in  November,  with  cold,  rainy  weather.  I  know  of  one  direct 
violation  of  the  army  regulations  of  the  Confederate  States,  and  that 
-was  in  regard  to  treatment  received  by  myself.  It  was  for  disobeying 
an  order  of  Captain  Alexander.  The  order  was  to  prescribe  for  a 
patient.  I  am  not  a  graduated  physician,  and  it  was  against  tin 
orders  of  the  surgeon  in  charge.  I  was  ordered  to  a  dungeon  in 
which  I  could  not  stand  up  straight,  a  cell  about  six  feet  square.  I 
had  no  chance  to  vindicate  myself,  as  I  sent  for  Captain  Alexander 


and  he  did  not  visit  me.  I  was  kept  in  the  dungeon  until  the  next 
morning.  I  have  known  prisoners  to  be  kept  there  three  or  four  days. 
I  have  seen,  on  one  or  two  occasions,  fifteen  or  twenty  prisoners 
"  bucked"  and  "gagged"  at  a  time.  The  "gag"  is  effected  by  a 
etick  inserted  crosswise  in  the  mouth,  and  the  "  buck"  is  to  tie  the 
arms  at  the  elbows  to  a  cross  piece  beneath  the  thighs.  They  were 
generally  ironed,  wore  ball  and  chain,  and  were  charged  with  various 
•offences.  I  recollect  now  I  only  "  gagged"  one.  I  have  seen  the 
"barrel  shirt"  worn  by  a  prisoner.  The  shirt  is  made  by  sawing  a 
common  flour  barrel  in  twain,  and  cutting  arm  holes  in  the  sides,  and 
an  aperture  in  the  barrel  head  for  the  insertion  of  the  wearer's  head. 
The  one  I  saw  have  the  barrel  shirt  on  wore  it  as  a  punishment  for 
fighting.  He  was  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  to  the  roof,  and  stood  on  his 
feet,  wearing  it  one  day  and  part  of  the  next  day.  Do  not  know  how 
much  longer  he  wore  it. 

John  Caphart  sworn. — I  have  been  employed  with  Captain  Alex- 
ander eleven  months,  on  the  detective  force ;  seven  months  of  that 
time  I  have  been  at  the  prison.  I  have  never  seen  a  prisoner  harshly 
treated  except  by  orders.  It  was  realy  dangerous  at  times  for  the 
officers  to  go  among  the  prisoners,  some  of  them  were  such  desperate 
characters.  A  new  prisoner  sent  in  among  them  was  usually  knocked 
down,  beat  and  robbed,  if  he  had  anything  about  him.  I  was  off  and 
on  duty  at  the  prison,  sleeping  there.  One  night  I  would  be  off  duty 
and  go  to  my  room  at  eight  o'clock,  and  another  night  at  ten 
o'clock.  I  remember  the  occasion  of  the  difficulty  between  Captain 
Alexander  and  Mr.  Bland.  The  captain  gave  him  an  order  to  render 
service  to  a  sick  child.  Bland  refused  to  obey,  and  Captain  Alexan- 
der again  reiterated  his  order  and  Bland  again  refused  with  an  oath. 
I  then  put  him  in  the  cell,  by  the  the  order  of  Captain  Alexander. 
Bland  was  intoxicated  on  that  occasion.  I  have  seen  men  whipped  at 
the  prison,  by  order  of  the  court  martial  and  General  Winder,  and 
by  order  of  Captain  Alexander,  through  General  Winder,  (by  the 
latter  generally)  for  stealing  from  prisoners  and  the  mal-treatment 
of  prisoners.  I  have  seen  prisoners  tied  up  by  the  arms.  They  were 
two  men  whom  nobody  could  manage.  They  were  not  tied  up  by  the 
thumbs.  The  whipping  was  all  done  with  a  leather  thong  or  strap, 
about  two  feet  long.  In  regard  to  the  barrel  shirt,  I  saw  one  of  Captain 
Bossieux's  men  walking  in  one,  by  order  of  the  court  martial. 


Monday,    April    13,  1863. 

The  examination  of  witnesses  was  resumed.  John  Caphart,  de- 
tective, was  recalled  to  the  stand. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Mr.  Caphart,  how  many  years  of 
your  life  were  you  connected  with  prisons  before  you  came  with 
me  * 

Answer. — Thirty-one  years,  sir. 


Question. — How  does  my  treatment  of  prisoners  compare  with  what 
you  have  seen  in  other  prisons  ? 

Answtr. — Very  favorable.  For  offences  such  as  have  been  com- 
mitted in  the  Castb  by  the  prisoners,  they  would  be  put  in  irons. 
As  I  said  before,  at  one  time  it  was  dangerous  to  go  into  the  prison 
room.  It  was  necessary  to  observe  great  caution  in  going  in  among 
them.     I  did  not  feci  safe  unless  I  went  with  one  hand  on  my  pistol. 

Question. — Do  you  think  you  ever  saw  a  worse  set  in  any  jail. 

Answer. — No  I  never  did.  They  would  be  ironed  down  to  ring- 
bolts in  the  floor,  for  conduct  such  as  I  have  seen  at  the  Castle. 

Question. — They  chain  men  down  in  jails  then,  do  they  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  have  seen  it  done,  and  helped  to  do  it. 

Question. — You  have  been  eleven  months  with  me  as  commandant 
of  Castle  Thunder  post.  What  is  my  manner  and  demeanor  towards 
the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Usually  kind  on  all  occasions.  Men  reported  to  you  for 
misconduct  you  have  sometimes  imprisoned  them. 

Question. — Have  you  not  seen  persons  who  came  to  the  Castle,  spit 
upon  by  the  prisoners  from  the  windows,  and  the  sentinels  cursed  and 
abused  ? 

Ansicer. — Yes,  I  have  seen  it  done  many  times. 

Question. — When  prisonsrs  are  brought  in  under  arrest  and  I  am 
present,  do  I  not  attempt  to  discriminate,  and  instruct  the  officers  to 
separate  and  classify  them,  and  assign  them  different  quarters  accord- 
ing to  their  appearance  or  offence  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  have  seen  it  done  and  know  it  was  done. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  of  the  plot  gotten  up  among  the 
prisoners  to  assassinate  me  and  other  officers,  set  the  board  yard  od.' 
fire,  and  liberate  the  prisoners? 

Answer. — Y"es,  I  heard  of  it,  and  it  is  a  well  established  fact,  and 
A.  C.  Webster,  who  was  hanged,  was  the  ringleader  of  the  plot. 

Question. — And  all  this  when  Webster  was  afterwards  condemned  to 
death ;  what  was  my  conduct  towards  him  ? 

Answer. — You  cut  and  fixed  his  food,  and  set  up  with  him  after  he 
received  his  injuries  in  attempting  to  escape. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward,  counsel  for  Captain  Alexander. — Mr.  Caphart, 
will  you  tell  the  committee  how  James  Tyree  was  treated  by  the 
prisoners  when  first  put  into  the  Castle  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  I  remember  when  Tyree  was  brought  to  the  prison, 
he  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  black  and  looked  genteel  and  nice.  Ho 
was  sent  up  stairs  and  put  in  one  of  the  rooms.  In  a  few  minutes  I 
heard  a  tremendous  noise  of  shouting,  yelling  and  hallooing,  mingled 
with  cries.  I  went  up  as  fast  as  I  could,  and  found  Tyree  all  beaten 
and  gory  with  blood,  and  stripped  to  his  drawers.  He  was  so  bloody 
and  bruised  that  I  could  hardly  recognize  him.  I  rescued  him  and 
took  him  out  from  among  the  prisoners,  and  they  followed  and  crowded 
around,  yelling  "let  me  at  him  once  more,  the  son  of  a  bitch;  kill 
the  son  of  a  bitch,  &c."  I  carried  him  outside  of  the  railing  and  the 
prisoners  attempted  to  come  over  the  railing  after  him.  Tyiee  had 
nothing  but  his  drawers  on  then.     The  clothing  was  never  found. 


/ 

Question  by  the  Committee. — How  many  more  cases  of-  this  kind  do 
you  know  about  ? 

Answer. — I  know  of  one  case,  an  old  man,  fifty  years  old,  who  wsg 
beaten  and  died  from  the  effects  of  it. 

Captain  Alexander. — That  was  a  case  of  murder  outright. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Did  you  ever  see  more  lenient  treatment 
by  the  captain  of ,  such  incorrigable  prisoners? 

Answer. — Never  in  my  life,  sir.  Never  saw  prisoners  better 
treated.  Such  misbehavior  elsewhere  would  have  led  to  their  close 
confinement. 

By  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee. — You  say  the  prisoners  are  dan- 
gerous to  each  other  and  visitors  ? 

Answer. — Not  now,  sir,  since  the  whipping. 

Questin.— -How  many  do  the  guard  number  .' 

Answer. — Fourteen,  or' about  that  number. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  know  visitors  to  the  prison  to  be  attacked  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir.  Always  told  visitors  to  look  out  when  they  went 
where  the  prisoners  were.  I  have  seen  beef  bones  large  enougli  to 
knock  a  man  down  thrown  at  visitors.  Once  the  commandant  and  all 
of  his  officers  had  to  retreat  from  a  shower  of  beef  bones. 

Question. — How  long  since  were  the  prisoners  so  desperate  ? 

Answer. — Before  the  whipping  of  the  ringleaders.  The  conduct  cf 
the  prisoners  have  improved  since. 

Question. — Were  some  of  the  men  whipped  brought  from  the  room 
from  whence   he  beef  bones  were  hurled  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question. — What  for  ? 

Answer. — For  fighting,  stealing,  and  other  offences* 

Question. — How  did  you  know  tbey  were  the  men  ? 

Answer. — They  were  pointed  out  by  the  other  prisoners.  The  cap- 
tain said  he  would  have  them  all  whipped  unless  they  pointed  out  the 
guilty  ones.     They  did  so,  and  the  guilty  ones  stepped  out. 

Question. — How  many  men  were  brought  out  to  be  whipped  2 

Answer. — I  think  there  were  eight  or  ten. 

Question. — Were  these  men  whipped  for  fighting  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  they  were. 

Question. — How  do  you  know  they  were  the  right  men  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  for  certain  whether  the  men  whipped  wero 
the  right  ones  or  not,  but  the  other  prisoners  said  so.  They  were 
engaged  among  others,  and  were  pointed  out  by  the  other  prisoners 

Question. — How  many  prisoners  were  beaten  in  that  fracas  ? 

Answer. — Several.  One  old  man  named  Mitchell  was  beaten  so 
dreadfully  that  he  has  been  crazy  ever  since. 

Question. — Do  you  know  the  provocation  for  the  fight,  and  was  it 
enquired  into  I 

Answer. — I  know  of  no  provocation.  The  case  was  enquired  into 
by  Captain  Alexander.  There  was  a  great  change  after  the  whipping. 
All  was  quiet  and  wo  could  go  in  and  out  without  molestation. 

Question. — How  many  rooms  are  there  in  the  prison  ? 

Answer. — In  the  second  story  there  is  a  large  hall,  and  beyond  that 


8 

a  large  sized  room  where  citizens  and  disloyal  persons  are  confined,, 
and  on  the  third  story  is  a  very  large  room  for  the  soldiers,  and  par- 
titioned cells,  or  rather  rooms,  for  prisoners  tried  by  court  martial, 
and  prisoners  awaiting  trial  by  court  martial. 

Captain  Alexander  to  Committee. — We  get  so  accustomed  to  the  men 
received  at  Castle  Thunder,  that  we  know  their  character  as  soon  as 
they  come  in,  and  are  thus  guided  in  our  disposition  of  them. 

Mr.  Ward,  counsel  to  Committee. — Men  are  often  received  from  the 
commanding  officer  of  a  company,  accompanied  by  an  order  running 
something  like  this  :  "  Take  this  man  and  put  him  in  a  cell,  and  feed 
him  on  bread  and  water  till  I  send  for  him,  for  he  is  one  of  the  damnd- 
est rascals  in  the  world." 

Captain  Alexander. — Such  irresponsible  orders  are  never  observed 
nor  followed  out,  though. 

Qucstionty  Committee — Was  the  whipping  referred  to,  by  order  of 
General  Winder  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  it  was.  I  carried  the  order  myself  from  the 
general  to  the  captain. 

William  Causey,  detective,  was  recalled  to.  the  stand. 

Question  by  Committee. — Do  you  know  anything  about  prisoners  who 
were  whipped,  and  if  so,  whether  they  were  Confederate  volunteers  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  and  I  think  they  were  volunteer  soldiers,  for 
there  are  no  others  there. 

Question. — Do  you  know  what  was  their  crime  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir. 

Question. — Did  not  you  hear  something  about  a  row  among  the 
prisoners  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir,  I  only  saw  some  men  whipped. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  been  a  detective  ? 

Answer. — Since  March  last  twelve  months  ago.  I  left  the  Castle 
six  or  eight  days  ago,  and  was  transferred  to  the  provost  marshal's 
.office. 

Questhn. — Up  to  the  time  you  left,  were  the  prisoners  there  all  Con- 
federate volonteers  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question. — Were  there  any  Yankee  prisoners  there  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  there  were  some  in  the  lower  room,  sent  from  the 
Libby  prison  when  it  was  full. 

Question. — What  is  Caphart's  character  as  an  officer  ? 

Answer. — I  should  say  he  was  rather  rough. 

Question. — In  his  general  deportment  towards  the  prisoners  is  he 
humane  or  otherwise  ? 

Answer. — He  was  otherwise,  I  should  think.  He  would  curse  them, 
shake  his  stick,  and  talk  of  how  he  would  serve  them. 

Question. — From  the  tenor  of  his  remarks,  would  you  suppose  he 
would  be  gratified  rather  than  humiliated  at  the  chastisement  of  a 
soldier  ? 

Answer. — Rather  gratified,  I  think. 


By  Mr.  Ward. — Causey,  don't  jou  think  Caphart  a  good  officer  and 
detective  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not,  sir. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  hear  Caphart  exult  over  a  man  whom  he 
thought  was  punished  properly  or  justly  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  know  his  thoughts  ;  I  can't  answer  that  question. 

Question. — From  his  conversation  did  you  think  he  thought  the  men 
were  justly  punished  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir,  I  did  not. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  hear  him  express  any  regrets  that  they 
were  whipped  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir. 

(Jurstion  by  Captain  Alexander. — Do  you  know  whether  the  prisoners 
whipped  were  Yankees  or  Confederate  volunteers  ? 

Answer. — I  think  they  were  Confederate  volunteers. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Have  you  been  in  the  habit  of  visiting  tbe 
prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Rarely  or  never,  except  on  business. 

Question. — Did  you  see  the  men  whipped  ?  / 

Answer. —  I  did. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — How  many  lashes  were  given  them, 
and  did  you  hear  the  sentence  of  the  court  martial  ? 

A  nswtr. — I  think  it  was  by  order  of  the  court  martial. 

Question. — Where  was  the  whipping  done  ? 

Answer. — Up  stairs. 

Question. — On  what  part  of  the  body  was  the  lash  laid  on  ? 

Answer. — On  the  buttocks,  I  think. 

Question. — Did  you  see  any  prisoners  tied  up  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  lifted  up  on  their  toes. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  knock  a  prisoner  down  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  strike  a  prisoner  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  after  the  prisoner  struck  me. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee — What  is  Captain  Alexander's 
treatment  of  the  prisoners  generally  ? 

Answer. — He  is  sometimes  kind,  and  sometimes  the  reverse  of 
kindness. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward'. — -Do  you  know  what  provocation  the  Captain 
bad  in  thus  speaking? 

Ansioer. — No.  But  I  have  heard  him  speak  very  snappish  when 
prisoners  were  being  put  in.     lie  expressed  himself  only  in  language. 

Question. — What  was  his  language  ? 

Answer. — Well,  something  like  *'  shove  them  in  there."  "  Tut  them 
in  there,  God  damn  them." 

(Jurstion  by  Mr  Ward. — Did  not  the  prisoners  refuse  to  be  put  back 
sometimes,  and  resist,  so  much  so  as  to  require  the  exercise  of 
force  ? 

Answer. — I  never  had  a  prisoner  to  refuse  to  go  in  ;  but  I  have  had 
them  to  resist  me  on  the  street. 


10 

J.  F.  Schaffer,  detective,  was  recalled  to  the  stand. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — What  is  the  deportment  of 
Caphart  towards  prisoners? 

Answer. — I  have  known  him  to  be  very  abusive,  generally  when 
prisoners  were  impudent  to  him.  I  have  heard  him  curse  prisoners 
under  arrest,  -when  they  held  back  or  resisted  him. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  men  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  ? 

Answer. — I  have  seen  prisoners  tied  up  either  by  the  thumbs  or  the 
wrists.     It  is  called  "  trysting  up,"  and  is  a  sailor's  punishment. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Did  you  ever  examine  to  see  by  which  they 
were  tied,  the  thumbs  or  the  wrists? 

•Answer. — No,  sir. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — For  what  offences  were  those 
you  saw  tied  up  ? 

Answer. — For  bribing  the  guard,  I  believe.  I  don't  know  whether 
they  were  Yankees  or  Confederate  volunteers. 

Question. — Do  you  remember,  on  a  certain  occasion,  when  eight  or 
ten  men  were  whipped  ? 

Answer. — I  heard  it  rumored  ;  did'nt  see  it. 

Qwstion. — Is  Caphart's  conduct  towards  prisoners  abusive  ? 

Answer. — No,  except  on  occasions  ;  he  was  rather  kind. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Mr.  Schaffer,  don't  you  think  Caphart  as 
good  an  officer  as  there  is  on  the  force  ? 

Answer. — I  must  say  I  have  heard  him  abuse  the  prisoners  very 
much.    I  have  heard  him  use  some  very  harsh  language  towards  them. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Who  is  the  most  passionate  of  the 
two,  Causey  or  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — I  couldn't  say. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — Is  Caphart  kind  and  humane 
towards  the  prisoners,  or  the  reverse  ? 

Answer. — I  cannot  say. 

By  Captain  Alexander. — You  know  him  to  be  a  kind  husband  and 
father,  don't  you  ? 

Answer. — I  never  saw  him  in  the  midst  of  his  family ;  so  I  cannot 
say. 

Robert  B.  Crow,  detective,  was  recalled  to  the  stand. 

Question  by  Chairman. — You  know  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  I  do. 

Question. — What  is  his  general  disposition  ;  is  he  kind  ? 

Answer. — He  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  that  ? 

Question. — Did  you  ever  hear  him  express  any  regrets  for  punish- 
ment inflicted  upon  soldiers? 

Answer. — No,  sir;  he  rather  exulted  at  it.  .  I  have  heard  him  say 
"  damn  them,  I'd  take  a  knife  and  cut  them  in  pieces." 

Question. — Does  he  treat  them  roughly  or  kindly  ? 

Answer. — Yery  roughly  indeed. 

Question. — Without  provocation  ? 

Answer. — He  is  generally  rough;  it  is  natural  with  him.  I  have 
seen  him  shove  and  push  prisoners  about  as  though  they  were  negroes. 


11 

I  never  heard  him  express  any  regrets,  but  rather  exulted  at  their  treat- 
ment. 

Question. — How  many  prisoners  are  usually  confined  in  the  Castle  ? 
Ansurr. — Between  400  and  500  ;  sometimes  more,  and  sometimes 
less.     They  are  constantly  being  received  and  discharged. 

Question. — How  often  is  it  found  necessary  to  punish  the  prisoners? 
.  Answer. — I  don't  know.  I  seldom  go  up  among  the  prisoners.  I 
have  seen  whippings  inflicted  three  or  four  times. 

Question. — Is  it  necessary  to  flog  them  as  often  as  once  a  week? 
As  often  as  once  a  fortnight? 

Answer. — I  cannot  say. 

Question  by  Chairman. — What  is  Captain  Alexander's  conduct  among 
the  prisoners  under  his  charge  ? 

Answer, — He  is  sometimes  rough  and  sometimes  pleasant. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  him  rough  without  provocation? 

Answer. — Well,  the  Captain  has  a  good  deal  to  excite  and  provoke 
him  ;  but  I  have  seen  him  speak  to  and  treat  the  prisoners  harshly 
when  I  thought  there  was  no  occasion  for  it. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Don't  you  know  that  the  Captain  has  an 
excited  manner,  and  when  he  swears  like  a  sailor,  oftentimes  he  does 
not  mean  anything  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  know. 

By  Captain  Alexander. — Did  you  ever,  Mr.  Crow,  regret  a  punish- 
ment you  saw  inflicted  on  a  prisoner  at  the  Castle,  and  thought  it  was 
wrong  ? 

Answer. — I  have,  sir. 

Question. — Have  not  you,  Crow,  exulted  over  the  seizure  of  liquor 
from  poor  women  at  the  depots,  when  you  caught  them  smuggling  it 
into  the  city  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir.     That  was  my  business,  sir. 

Question  by  Chairman. — Did  you  see  the  whipping  of  a  man  for 
knocking  the  eye  out  of  another  man  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  was  ordered  up  along  with  other  officers  to  witness 
it. 

Question. — Was  it  a  powerful  man  who  laid  the  blows  on  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir;  about  the  strongest  man  they  could  get.  They 
gave  him  I  don't  know  how  many  lashes. 

Question. — Was  the  thong  made  of  heavy  leather  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  a  heavy  thick  strap. 

Question. — Wm  the  man  whipped  tried  by  the  court  martial,  or  was 
he  lashed  by  Captain  Alexander's  order  alone  ?  • 

Answer. — I  think  it  was  by  Captain  Alexander's  order. 

By  Captain  Alexander. — Mr.  Crow,  do  you  like  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not,  sir. 

Question. — Haven't  you  had  a  quarrel  with  him  ? 

Answer. — I  have,  sir. 

G.  W.  Bland  was  recalled  to  the  stand. 
Question  by  Chairman. — Do  you  know  Caphart? 
Answer. — Only  since  I  have  been  at  the  prison. 


12 

Question. — What  is  his  general  conduct  towards  the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Very  rough  and  uncouth. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  hear  him  express  regrets  at  their  harsh 
treatment? 

Answer. — No.  On  the  contrary  I  always  found  him  willing,  and 
assisting  to  carry  out  the  tyrannical  orders  of  Captain  Alexander. 

Question. — Did  he  exult  over  it,  or  appear  gratified  ? 

Answer, — I  can't  say  as  to  that,  Colonel. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  known  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — Four  or  five  months,  I  reckon. 

Question. — Were  you  present  at  the  whipping  of  the  two  prisoners 
referred  to  by  the  other  witnesses  ? 

Answer. — I  was,  sir. 

Question. — Who  did  the  whipping  ? 

Answer. — Two  men  did  the  whipping;  one  laid  it  on  light,  and  the 
other  very  heavy.  It  was  in  the  case  of  an  old  man  named  Mitchell, 
who  had  been  badly  beaten,  or  in  a  case  of  stealing  money  from  pris- 
oners. 

Question. — The  prisoners  you  saw  whipped,  were  they  Confederate 
soldiers  ? 

Answer. — They  were,  and  I  don't  think  they  were  whipped  by  order 
of  the  court  martial. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  of  the  case  of  George  Wright, 
a  deranged  prisoner  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  I  found  him  lying  down  behind  a  door  in  the  prison 
room,  mired  in  his  own  filth,  with  no  clothing  on  but  a  short  swallow- 
tailed  coat.  He  was  completely  covered  with  scabs  and  vermin.  Some 
of  the  prisoners  said  he  had  been  lying  there  a  week  and  more.  I 
took  him  up  into  the  hospital,  and  treated  him  medically. 

Question. — What  is  Captain  Alexander's  treatment  of  prisoners  un- 
der his  charge  ? 

Answer. — He  is  in  some  instances  very  kind,  and  in  others  very 
different. 

Question. — With  or  without  provocation  ? 

Answer. — I  can't  say,  but  whether  with  provocation  or  not,  he 
might  treat  prisoners  as  an  officer  should  treat  them. 

Question. — Were  you  ever  in  the  room  where  the  prisoners  are  con- 
fined ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  was  in  there  every  day. 

Question. — Did  the  prisoners  ever  assault,  or  throw  beef  bones  at 
you?  * 

Answer. — No,  not  to  my  knowledge. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  them  throw  beef  bones  at  any  body  ? 

Answer. — No,  I  never  did. 

Question. — How  many  prisoners  do  you  know  to  have  been  killed  at 
the  Castle  ? 

Answer. — I  can't  say,  as  I  was  only  there  five  months.  One  or  two 
killed  in  that  time. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander  — Mr.  Bland,  is  there  not  a  place  in 
the  Castle  called  the  "  sick  bay,"  where  the  warden  puts  the  prisoners 
who  need  to  be  examined  by  the  surgeon  ? 


13 

Answer. — I  know  there  is  such  a  place. 

Question  — Is  it  not  the  duty  of  the  surgeon  to  look  after  these  sick 
cases,  and  have  them  removed  to  the  hospital ! 

Answer. — Yes,  it  is  his  duty  I  believe. 

Question. — Have  you  not  made  threats  of  personal  violence  towards 
me?  .        . 

Answer. — I  have  not,  sir. 

Question. — Don't  you  know  the  cause  of  Wright's  dementedness,  or 
insanity  ? 

Answer. — Yes.      Masturbation. 

Question. — When  you  were  put  in  the  cell  by  my  order,  were  you 
no't  possessed  of  a  candle  and  a  bottle  of  whiskey  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  I  was. 

Question  by  Mr.   Ward. — Was  the  cell  not  naturally  lighted? 

Answer. — YTes,  through  the  key  hole. 

Question. — Do  you  not.  harbor  an  animosity  against  Captain  Alex- 
ander ? 

Answer. — That  makes  no  difference  just  now.  I  will  tell  you  :  once 
the  Captain  sent  a  negro  boy  with  a  bottle  to  the  steward's  hospital 
rcom,  for  a  bottle  of  whiskey.  My  orders  were  to  give  nothing  of  the 
kind  out,  ;md  I  so  informed  Captain  Alexander.  He  then  wrote  me 
an  order  for  the  whiskey,  and  I  wrote  in  reply  that  it  could  not  be 
done.  Captain  Alexander  then  sent  for  me  to  come  to  his  room.  I 
w^nt  to  his  room,  and  there  was  a  little  dinner  party  going  on.  He 
asked  me  to  sit  down,  and  after  I  rose,  asked  me  to  furnish  whiskey 
for  the  party,  and  I  told  him  I  could  not.  He  sad  :  "  Suppose  a  man 
was  suffering  from  a  broken  leg.  and  I  was  to  order  you  to  furnish 
whiskey  for  his' relief,  and  you  refuse,  I  would  put  you  in  the  cell."  I 
was  afterwards  put  in  the  cell  for  refusing  to  prescribe  for  a  patient, 
because  I  was  not  a  graduated  physician,  and  knew  nothing  about  the 
disease. 

Georgf.  W.  Thomas,  sworn. 

By  Chairman  of  Committee. — \ir.  Thomas,  state  what  you  know 
concerning  the  treatment  of  prisoners  in  Castle  Thunder,  and  any 
other  circumstances  bearing  on  this  investigation. 

Answer. — I  am  from  Henrico  county,  and  have  been  a  detective  to 
Captain  Alexander  since  the  13th  of  March,  last  year.  The  general 
treatment  of  the  prisoners  I  must  say  is  good,  as  far  as  my  knowledge 
extends.  Two  classes  of  desperados  are  to  be  found  in  the  Castle  ; 
one  from  far  down  South,  and  the  other  from  Baltimore;  the  "  wharf 
rats,"  of  New  Orleans,  and  the  plugs  from  Baltimore.  A  third  class 
is  the  inoffensive  soldiers,  who  are  the  great  majority. 

Question. — Is,  in  your  opinion,  the  conduct  of  the  officials  towards 
the  prisoners  humane  and  kind  ? 

oer. — Generally  kind,  except  on  occasions. 

Question. — On  what  occasion  was  that? 

Answer. — When  the  prisoners  were  put  in  the  back  yard  as  a  pun- 
ishment for  outrages;  a  committee  among  the  prisoners,  robbing  and 
beating  the  more   inoffensive  of  them.     I  looked  into  the  yard,  and 


14 

seeing  the  prisoners  suffering,  I  reported  the  condition  of  the  prisoners 
to  Captain  Alexander,  and  he  had  them  brought  immediately.  Some 
of  the  prisoners  were  warmly  clad,  but  the  more  desperate  of  the  pris- 
oners generally  stole  the  blankets  from  the  others. 

Question. — Where  did  Captain  Alexander  receive  his  orders  for  the 
punishment  of  the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — From  General  Winder,  I  think. 

Question. — How  often  were  the  prisoners  put  out  into  that  yard  ? 

Answer. — Only  on  that  one  occasion  that  I  recollect. 

Question. — Had  they  any  blankets  ? 

Answer. — Some  of  them  had,  but  the  strongest,  and  more  desperate 
got  them. 

Question. — Was  there  any  covering  to  the  yard  to  shelter  them  from 
the  storm  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir. 

Question. — What  is  jour  duty  in  connection  with  the  prison  ? 

Answer. — I  am  a  detective. 

Question. — Are  all  of  the  prisoners  without  blankets? 

Answrr — No,  sir,  not  all.  Men  go  in  there,  and  their  blankets  are 
taken  from  them  by  the  desperados  to  make  ropes  wherewith  to  escape. 

Question. — Are  there  any  benches  or  seats  in  the  prison  room  ? 

Answer. — No  sir,  nothing  of  the  kind;  they  would  break  and  burn 
them  up  if  there  was. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  men  whipped  there  ? 

Answer. — I  have  on  one  or  two  occasions. 

Question. — Was  the  punishment  inflicted  by  order  of  General  Winder? 

Answer. — It  was  by  his  order,  which  was  carried  by  Caphart. 
There  were  eight  of  them  whipped  on  one  occasion.  Some  two  or 
three  were  -struck  a«dozen  or  more  blows  ;   others  were  let  off  with  less. 

Question. — What  other  kind  of  punishment  did  you  ever  see  inflicted 
there?     Did  you  ever  see* prisoners  wearing  barrel  shirts  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  I  have. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  men  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir,  I  never  did 

Question. — Have  you  known  men  to  be  killed  there  ? 

Ansioer. — Yes,  several  were  killed  there. 

Question. — Do  you  know  the  circumstances  ? 

Ansioer. — General  Winder's  orders  were,  after  the  discovery  of  the 
plot  to  escape,  were  to  fire  upon  any  prisoner  thrusting  his  head  from 
the  windows  in  defiance  of  the  guard,  or  attempting  to  escape. 

Question. — Do  you  the  think  the  men  shot  and  shot  at,  could  not 
have  been  recaptured  without  shooting  ? 

Answer. — I  know  of  one  instance  myself,  in  the  case  of  Campbell, 
a  deserter,  who  escaped,  and  he  led  me  a  hard  race.  I  fired  at  him 
twice,  and  he  would  have  escaped,  but  for  the  guard  coming  up  in  his 
front. 

Question, — Do  you  know  of  any   cases  of  whipping  at  the  prison  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  several  cases.  One  case,  that  of  an  old  man,  Cap- 
tain Alexander  interested  himself  very  much  in  because  of  his  age,  and 


15 

through  his  influence  with  General  Winder,  got  the  sentence  of  the 
court  martial  remitted. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Thomas,  do  you  think  I  am  a  cruel 
man  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir,  I  do  not. 


Tuesday,  April  14th,   1863. 

George  W.  Thomas  was  called  : 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — Do  you  know  anything  of 
Caphart  ? 

Answer. — I  am  associated  with  him  as  a  detective. 

Question. — Is  he  kind  and  humane  ? 

Answer. — I  have  seen  him  treat  prisoners  with  unnecessary  harsh- 
ness and  cruelty,  I  thought. 

Question. — Do  you  think  his  rough  deportment  natural  with  him  ? 

Answer. — He  has  a  rough  way  and  is  fond  of  talking. 

Question. — Does  he  seem  to  regret  the  punishment  of  any  pri- 
soner. 

-Answer. — Caphart  his  filled  the  office  of  jailor  to  prisons  for  a  great 
number  of  years,  and  in  the  habit  of  dealing  with  bad  fellows,  he  ha9, 
perhaps,  grown  callous  and  unfeeling. 

Question — Have  you  ever  heard  him  regret  or  exult  over  the  pun- 
ishment of  any  prisoner  ? 

Answer. — I  couldn't  say  he  was  a  kind  man,  especially  to  bad  pri- 
soners. Never  saw  him  exult  over  the  punishment  of  any  man,  even 
the  hardest  villains,  with  which  he  has  to  do.  He  viewed  it  in  the 
light  of  a  moral  corrective.  Towards  these  he  was  rather  rough.  I 
have  heard  him  curse  them,  but  at  such  times  he  had  provocation. 
The  prisoners  often  brick-batted  the  sentinels;  they  never  threw 
bones  at  me  ;  they  threw  bones  at  Caphart,  because  they  hated  him 
generally.      He  is  not  popular  with  the  prisoners. 

Question. — If  Caphart  had  been  kind  to  them  do  you  think  they 
would  throw  beef  bones  at  him  ? 

Answer. — I  can't  say  as  to  that.  I  have  seen  them  throw  missiles 
at  the  sentinels. 

Question. — How  arc  the  prisoners  clad,  generally  ? 

Answer — i'have  seen  some  badly  clothed,  but  not  more  indifferently 
than  at  other  prisons.  Some  of  the  prisoners  steal  from  each  other. 
To  relieve  their  destitution,  after  the  battles  around  Richmond,  Capt. 
Alexander  sent  out  men  to  gather  up  the  clothing  and  blankets  from 
the  battle  fields  to  clothe  the  prisoners,  who  were  destitute. 

Question. — Was  sufficient  clothing  obtained  in  that  way  to  clothe  all 
the  destitute  prisoners. 

Answer. — I  can't  say  that  every  one  was  furnished  ;  but  a  great 
many  were. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  a  prisoner  with  more  than  one  suit  of 
clothing. 


16 

Answer. — Yes  ;  some  of  them  have  not  many. 

Question. — Do  you  know  such  a  man  as  George  Wright,  once  a 
prisoner  in  the  castle  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir.  He  was  in  the  hospital  when  I  saw  him.  His 
condition  was  very  bad. 

Questiori. — Do  you  know  anything  of  a  deranged  Yankee  prisoner 
who  was  brought  from  the  Libby  prison  to  the  castle,  and  shot  in  at- 
tempting to  escape  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  He  was  brought  from  the  Libby  prison  for  safe 
keeping,  having  attempted  to  get  out  of  that  place.  He  was  shot  at 
the  castle  in  attempting  to  run  the  sentinel.  The  sentinels  had  been 
changed,  and  the  sentinel  who  shot  him  did  not  know,  I  think,  that 
he  was  crazy.  I  don't  know  whether  Captain  Alexander  was  present 
there  or  not 

Cap'ain  Alexander. — No,  Mr.  Chairman,  I  was  not  at  the  castle  at 
that  time. 

Question. — What  officer  received  him  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  know,  sir. 

Question. — Was  it  not  the  duty  of  the  officer  who  received  him  to 
notify  all  that  he  was  deranged  ? 

Answer. —  I  think  it  should  have  been  done. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  barrel  shirts  worn  by  the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  two  of  them  by  sentence  of  the  court  martial. 

Question. — When  soldiers  are  arrested  on  the  street  and  taken  to 
the  castle  is  it  customary  for  an  examination  to  be  made  into  the 
charges  against  them  ? 

Answer. — They  are  never  arrested  except  without  papers,  and  the 
returns  are  made  every  morning  to  the  Provost  Marshal  and  General 
Winder. 

Question. — Then  you  put  them  all  in  among  the  wharf  rats  of  New 
Orleans  and  the  plug  uglies  of  Baltimore  ? 

Answer  by  Mr.  Ward. — If  the  committee  will  allow  me,  I  will  ex- 
plain that  point.  When  men  arc  arrested  on  the  street  and  elsewhere, 
and  sent  to  the  prison,  their  papers  are  examined ;  if  regular,  they 
are  discharged;  if  irregular,  they  are  put  back  until  a  case  can  be 
substantiated  or  disproved.  If  the  prisoners  are  sent  by  the  Provost 
Marshal  or  General  Winder,  the  commandant  of  the  prison  has  no 
authority  to  discharge,  and  they  are  put  back.  If,  at  the  expiration 
of  a  reasonable  time,  their  case  remains  undisposed  of,  a  letter  detail- 
ing the  facts  i3  forwarded,  asking  an  investigation.  Some  prisoners 
have  remained  in  the  pflson  a  long  time,  it  is  true,  the  difficulty  of 
getting  testimony  and  collecting  witnesses  operating  against  an  early 
investigation.  Again,  instances  have  occurred  where  they  have  been 
taken  out  on  writs  of  habeas  corpus. 

Question. — Are  not  a  great  many  soldiers  taken  up  and  confined 
there  who  have  merely  overstaid  their  furlough. 

Answer  by  Mr.  Ward. — Yes.  Men  are  sent  there  frequently  from 
the  Provost  Marshal  or  General  Winder's  office,  with  an  order  to  the 
effect — "  Confine  these  men  and  send  them  to  their  regiments  ;  "  and 
such  men  are  sent  daily  to  the  army,  or  to  Sergeant  Crow,  at  the  bar- 


17 

racks,  or  under  a  guard  and  escort  of  the  commandant  of  the  prison 
post. 

Question. — You  turn  the  prisoners  all  in  together ;  the  desperadoes 
with  the  inoffensive  soldiers  ? 

Answer. — There  are  four  or  five  large  rooms  for  their  accommoda- 
tion, and  we  discriminate  as  much  as  possible  in  our  classification  of 
them. 

Question  by  Capt.  Alexander. — Mr.  Thomas,  have  I  anything  in  the 
world  to  do  with  the  clothing  of  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — I  think  not,  unless  it  was  a  voluntary  act. 

(Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Have  you  been  in  the  army;  are  not  the 
prisoners  in  Castle  Thunder  clothed  and  fed  as  well  as  the  soldiers 
now  in  the  army  ? 

Answer. — I  should  say  fully  as  well. 

Question. — lias  not  Capt.  Alexander  exerted  himself  to  clothe  the 
more  destitute  of  them  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;   I  know  of  many  instances  of  it. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — Do  you  know  Mr.  Bland? 

Answer. — I  don't  know  much  about  him. 

By  Capt.  Alexander. — Is  Bland  a  drinking  man  ? 

Ansioc- . — I  dont  know  anything  about  him. 

By  Mr.  Ward  — If  prisoners  were  put  in  Caphart's  charge,  do  you 
think  he  would  beat  them  if  they  would  go  along  quietly  and  peace- 
ably ? 

Answer. — I  don't  think  he  would. 

By  Capt.  Alexander. — Don't  you  think  there  are  as  hard  cases  here 
as  anywhere  else  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  indeed;  it  would  be  hard  to  match. 

Stephen  B.  Children,  sworn  : 

Question  by  Chairmar, — What  is  your  position  at  prison? 

Answer. — I  am  the  commissary  of  the  prison. 

Question, — What  is  the  general  treatment  of  the  prisoners  confined 
there  ? 

Answer. — Good,  very  good  ;  good  as  persons  in  the  same  situation 
•could  be  treated. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  any  whipping  there  without  the 
authority  of  a  court  martial  ? 

Answer  — I  never  saw  any  of  the  prisoners  whipped. 

Question. — What  is  the  general  deportment  of  the  officers  towards 
the  prisoners  ;  is  it  kind  ? 

Answer, — As  kind  as  could  be  expected.  Of  course  harsh  measures 
have  to  l>e  used  sometimes. 

fi,,n. — What  is  the  necessity  or  excuse  for  rough  language? 

Answer. — 1!  have  some  very  rough  characters   to  deal 

with.      If  rhey  were  treated  differently  they  would  run  over  them,  and 
take  the  prison. 

Question, — You  bars  never  seen  any  whipping  there  ? 

Answer.  —  No. 

Question. — Seen  any  other  kind  of  punishment  inflicted? 
2 


13 

Answer. — I  have  seen  prisoners  "bucked."  They  were  of  the  more 
desperate  characters. 

Question — Do  you  know  of  any  prisoners  being  killed  there  ? 

Answer. — I  know  of  one  man  dying  from  the  effects  of  a  beating 
at  the  hands  of  some  of  the  prisoners,  and  I  know  of  another  who  was 
shot  by  the  guard  in  attempting  to  escape. 

Question. — Do  you  think  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  shoot  th'13 
man  to  have  recaptured  him  ? 

Ansioer — I  suppose  it  was. 

Question. — Was  the  man  outside  the  building  when  fired  upon  and 
killed  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir;  he  was  on  the  balcony  of  the  second  story  on 
Gary  street,  about  jumping  down.  The  sentinel  was  on  the  pavement 
below  him. 

'Question. — Do  you  know  anything  about  a  crazy  man  who  was  shot 
in  attempting  to  escape  ? 

Answer. — Yes;  I  heard  of  the  circumstance. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  case  of  George  Wrightr 
a  prisoner,  and  his  condition  when  sent  to  the  hospital  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  his  condition  was  very  bad.  I  furnished  him  with 
clothing,  but  he  would  tear  the  clothes  off  his  person. 

Question. — In  what  condition  was  he  when  removed  to  the  hospital? 

Answer. — He  was  travelling  about  the  prison  like  the  other  prison- 
ers, but  in  a  demented  state  of  mind.  I  gave  him  his  food.  No  filth 
is  allowed  to  collect  in  the  prison.  It  is,  I  will  venture  to  say,  one 
of  the  cleanest  prisons  in  the  State.  Captain  Alexander  is  as  par- 
ticular in  this  respect  as  any  man  I  ever  saw.  His  usual  disposition, 
when  not  provoked,  is  kind  and  urbane. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward.. — You  are  the  Commissary  of  the  prison,  are 
you  not  ? 

Answer. — I  am.  » 

Question. — And  as  such  you  came  in  contact  with  the  prisoners  a 
great  deal  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question. — From  your  knowledge,  what  is  the  character  of  the 
prisoners,  or  some  of  them? 

Ansv)er  — I  consider  them  desperate  indeed. 

Qu  stion. — Did  they  ever  make  threats  towards  you  ? 

Answer. — Yes;  the  whipping  had  an  excellent  effect  on  them.  They 
are  getting  worse  now  again  since  the  law  was  passed  by  Congress 
abolishing  whipping  in  the  army.  Something  will  have  to  be  done  to 
stop  their  insubordination. 

Question. — You  know  about  the  clothing  collected  by  Captain 
Alexander  for  the  use  of  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  distributed  the  clothing  to  the  prisoners.  I  am  at 
liberty  to  sell  them  anything  in  the  way  of  food,  luxuries  or  necessa- 
ries ;  anything  they  want  if  they  have  money  to  buy.  I  consider 
their  rations  better  in  quantity  and  quality  than  the  soldiers  in  tho 
field. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Commit  ce. — Do  you  know  anything  about 
tbe  whipping  at  the  prison? 


19 

Answer. — I  never  saw  any  whipping,  although  it  was  done. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  shooting  of  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question  — Who  gave  the  order  to  shoot  the  prisoners? 

A.  swer  by  Captain  Alexander. — I  gave  the  order  to  the  sentinels, 
based  on  the  orders  of  General  Winder.  I  was  not  at  the  prison  when 
the  shooting  occurred,  but  it  is  a  general  standing  order  to  shoot  at 
prisoners  cursing  or  abusing  the  sentinels  from  the  windows. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Mr.  (Jhildrey,  do  you  consider  rae 
a  ci  uel  man  ? 

Answer — I  do  net;  but  I  consider  you  a  positive  man — one  who 
wants  discipline  ami  ordeis  carried  out. 

Question. — How  many  poor  women  am  I  not  feeding  from  the  milk 
obtained  at  the  castle  ? 

Answer. — Yes.      I  know  you  are  supplying  a  good  many. 

Question. — Did  I  not  start  a  hospital  and  place  my  wife  in  it  to  at- 
tend to  the  sick  and  wounded  ? 

Answer. — Yes;    I  knew  that  Captain. 

Quest  on. — And  did  the  Government  ever  pay  me  one  cent  for  my 
money  expended  ? 

Answer. — Not  that  1  am  aware  of. 

Baldwin  T.  Allen,  sworn. 

Qu  tftim  h .  Chairman  of  Committee. — What  is  your  position  at  Cas- 
tle Thunder ? 

Answer. — T  am  warden. 

Question. — What  is  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners  ? 

Answ  r. — That  is  rather  a  comprehensive  question.  In  answering 
it  I  must  take  into  consideration  the  character  of  some  of  the  prison* 
ers.  The  commandant  has  found  it  necessary  to  enforce  very  rigid 
rules.  If  they  had  been  less  rigid,  he  would  have  been  unable  to 
keep  one  of  them  there. 

Question — Does  Captain  Alexander  and   the   other  officers  speak 
•kindly  or  roughly  to  the  prisoners? 

Answer. — I  don't  know  of  any  officer  being  unkind  to  well  behaved 
prisoners 

Que  t'on  — Have  you  seen  whipping  there  without  order  of  a  court 

martial  ? 

Answer. — I  have  seen  whipping  inflicted,  but  whether  with  or  with- 
out th  •  older  of  court  martial,  1  cannot  saw 

Question. — Do  you  know  that  General  Winder  gave  the  order  or 
not. 

Answer — I  heard  so;  but  I  am  not  positive  by  whose  authority  it 
was  done. 

Question, — Did  you  ever  see  any  whipping 

Answer. -~Ye$ ;   I   bare   seen   fifty  laid   on   by  order   of  the-; 

Court  martial. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  persons  receive  six,  eight  and  ten  lashes  t 

AnsW,  r  — Y  ■]  v. 

Question. — Wen  ...   saw  whipped  Confederate  prisoners, 

tnd  eoldiers  of  the  Confederate  service? 


20 

Answer. — I  think  not.     I  think  they  were  Yankee  deserters. 

Question. — Were  any  of  thera  Confederate  soldiers  ? 

Answer. — I  can't  pay ;  but  I  can  get  the  names  to-morrow. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  killing  of  some  pris- 
oners ? 

Answer. — Yes.  Last  fall,  a  Yankee  deserter,  who  was  deranged, 
attempted  to  run  the  guard  and  was  killed.  Another  was  killed  re- 
cently in  attempting  to  escape.  His  name  was  Charles  Carroll,  and 
he  was  a  Confederate  soldier. 

Question. — Have  you  ever  seen  men  wear  barrel  jackets? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Qi  est  ion — Have  you  known  prisoners  to  be  put  out  in  the  prison 
yard,  without  fire  or  shelter  in  cold  weather? 

Answer. — Yes.  Several  months  ago.  Their  offence  was  robbing 
and  stealing,  breaking  windows,  and  gross  violation  of  the  rules. 

Question. — How  long  did  they  remain  there  ? 

Answer. — All  one  day  and  night,  and  part  of  another  day. 

•Question. — Any  other  instance  ? 

Answer. — The  next  time  the  prisoners  were  put  into  the  back  yard, 
it  was  in  October  or  November.  They  had  no  covering  or  shelter 
•  except  their  blankets  and  clothing. 

Question. — You  say  you  found  out  they  were  suffering.  Suppose 
you  had  not  taken  them  in  promptly,  what  do  think  would  have  been 
the  consequences  ? 

Answer. — I  supposo  they  would  have  been  cold.  They  could  have 
stood  it  though.     Our  soldiers  stand  it.     They  had  fuel  to  make  a  fire. 

Question. — Of  those  placed  in  the  yard  las!  fall,  do  you  know  of  any 
who  were  taken  sick  afterwards  ? 

Answer. — Some  of  them  may  have  been  sick,  but  whether  from  that 
cause  or  not  I  can't  say. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  men  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  ? 

Answer. — Yes ;  once  or  twice  I  saw  men  tied  by  the  thumbs. 

Question. — What  was  their  offence? 

Answer. — Stealing,  etc. 

Question. — Were  they  Confederate  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes. 

Question  — Who  was  one  ? 

Answer. — Martin  Darby,  a  young  man  twenty-five  years  of  age. 
He  was  tied  up  several  hours. 

Question. — ^Lave  you  seen  men  bucked  there  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  helped  to  buck  a  good  many  of  them  myself. 

Question. — What  was  their  crime  ? 

Answer. — For  various  offences.  And  I  may  say  here  that  all  the 
punishment  inflicted  is  necessary  to  keep  up  the  dicipline  of  the 
.prison. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  the  hands  of  any  of  the  men  tied  up, 
black  from  the  stagnation  of  the  blood  in  them  ? 

Answer. — Yes  I  have,  frequently,  I  think. 

'Question. — Did  you  ever  see  men  hand-cuffed,  and  their  hands 
Moody  from  the  effects  of  the  tying  «p  ? 


21 

Answer. — Yes,  one  was  named  William  Campbell.  He  slipped  up 
his  hand-cuffs  to  his  elbows,  I  believe  to  cause  stagnation  of  tho 
blood. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — You  are  the  warden  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  in  that  capacity  I  am  generally  among  the 
prisoners. 

Question. — What  is  the  character  of  some  of  the  men  confined 
there  ? 

Answer. — I  consider  many  of  them  the  most  desperate  men  in  tho 
Southern  Confederacy.     It  would  not  do  to  treat  them  leniently. 

Question. — Are  not  all  picked  up  and  put  together  in  these  rooms 
appropriated  to  the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — But  we  try  to  separate  the  quiet  from  the  quarrelsom 
prisoners. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  prisoners  there  with  one  suit  on  con- 
stantly I 

Answer. — A.  change  of  clothing  is  beneficial  to  the  health  and 
comfort  of  the  prisoners,  but  few  of  them  had  it. 

Question. — Is  it  a  rare  or  common  case  for  the  prisoners  to  be 
whipped  ? 

Answer. — Rather  rare  ;  but  it  has  had  a  beneficial  effect  wherever  it 
has  been  done. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — They  say  you  left.  George  Wright 
lay  for  two  weeks  in  the  prison  room,  sick,  without  attending  to  his 
wants  ? 

Answer. — I  think  there  must  be  some  mistake  about  that.  I  go 
around  every  morning  and  call  the  breakfast  roll,  and  when  I  fiid  a 
man  down  by  sickness,  I  take  his  name  and  report  him  to  the  surgeon. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — I  handle  a  great  many  prisoners, 
do  I  not,  but  whipping  is  comparatively  rare  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  it  is  for  so  many. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Are  not  the  prisoners  in  the  Castle  con- 
stantly changing  ? 

Answer. — Yes;  those  there  to-day  are  sent  off  to-morrow. 

Dr.  Lundie,  sworn. 

Question  by  Chairmau  of  Committee. — State  to  the  committee  what 
you  know  of  the  condition  and  treatment  of  prisoners  at  Castle 
Thunder? 

Answer. — I  know  nothing  particular  about  the  military  conduct  of 
the  prison.  I  have  been  there  to  get  prisoners  out,  and  have  received 
notes  from  the  prisoners.  I  have  been  through  the  prison  and  hospi- 
tal, and  the  condition  of  the  hospital  and  prison  apartments  were 
much  better  than  I  expected  to  find.  Below  there  is  a  good  conduct 
for  carying  off  the  filth,  but  the  building  is  not  well  ventilated,  but 
that  is  the  fault  of  the  building.  The  hospital  is  clean  beyond  com- 
parison, and  the  surgeon,  from  what  I  saw,  pays  all  the  necessary  at- 
tention. While  there  I  saw  an  enclosure,  the  back  yard,  containing 
a  large  number  of  prisoners.  They  were  in  a  most  woeful  state,  as 
regards  clothing  and  comfort,  and  I  remarked  that  it  looked  like  pan- 


22 

denionium.  The  prisoners  were  growling  and  cursing,  and  I  heard 
the  clanking  of  the  chains.  One  of  them  accosted  me  as  I  passed 
along,  and  asked  me  to  get  him  out.  I  saw  Captain  Alexander  and 
asked  him  to  let  the  fellow  out.  Captain  Alexander  remarked,  "to 
keep  order  here  /  have  had  to  kill  ten  men  ! 

Captnin  Alexander  here  explained  that  he  had  used  the  expression 
"killed  ten  men"  in  a  jocose  manner,  in  response  to  Dr.  Lundi'8 
remarks. 


Wednesday,  April  15,  1863. 
The  examination  of  witnesses  for  the  government  was  resumed. 

T.  J.  Kirby,  sworn.— I  am  at  present  an  inmate  of  Castle  Thunder, 
where  I  have  been  held  a  prisoner  as  a  spy  for  some  months  past.  I 
am  an  Englishman,  a  resident  of  Niagara,  Canada,  where  1  have  a 
wife  and  children.  I  came  through  the  lines  on  business  with  the 
government,  which  will  be  explained  as  I  proceed.  God  knows  I  wish 
to  go  back  there ! 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — State  what  you  know  about  the 
treatment  of  the  inmates  of  the  prison. 

Answer. — At  times  I  have  known  Captain  Alexander  to  be  extremely 
kind  to  prisoners;  at  times  the  very  opposite,  extremely  harsh  and 
domineering.  I  have  been  the  recipient  of  his  kindnesses,  and  on  the 
contrary,  I  have  received  treatment  from  him  which  to  describe  (wit- 
ness excited)  I  would  prefer  being  interrogated  as  I  proceed. 

Chairman  of  Commrttee. — Go  on  and  give  your  testimony  in  your 
own  way. 

Question. — Is  Captain  Alexander  kind? 

Answer. — 1  consider  him  the  very  opposite  of  kindness,  and  it  is  se- 
as a  gcn-ral  rule.     I  myself  have  experienced  some  of  his  inhumanity. 

Question. — What  is  the  character  of  his  usual  intercourse  with  pris- 
oners ? 

Answer. — At  times  he  is  kind,  and  at  other  times  extremely  rough 
and  uncouth ;  then  kind  again,  and  then  rough,  as  the  fit  takes  him. 
Simply  for  going  into  the  hospital  by  order  of  the  surgeon  in  charge, 
Dr  Coggin,  Captain  Alexander  threatened  to  put  me  in  the  cell.  I 
was  ordered  to  the  hospital  by  the  surgeon  to  be  treated  for  an  effec- 
<lon  of  the  throat.  I  was  requested,  or  rather  invited  by  Dr.  Coggin 
io  visit  the  hospital  daily  for  medical  treatment,  also  to  wile  away  a 
few  moments  of.  my  confinement  in  pleasant  conversation.  This  privi- 
lege was  refused  me  by  Captain  Alexander,  with  the  threat  if  I  violated 
his  instructions,  he  would  put  me  in  the  cell.  I  am  in  the  hospital 
now.  I  was  taken  from  cell  No.  3,  last  Friday,  and  given  the  range  of 
the  citizen's  room.  On  Monday  morning  following,  while  engaged  in 
cleaning  my  teeth. at  the  pump,  the  prisoner  Campbell  being  present, 
Captain  Alexander  came  up  to  his  room.  We  were  talking  together 
of  the  Captain,  and  matters  about  the  Castle,  and  as  Captain  Alexan- 


23 

der  came  up  I  turned  on  my  heel  to  enter  my  room,  saying  to  Camp- 
bell, (suiting  the  action  to  the  words,)  "I  have  no  more  respect  for 
Captain  Alexander  than  I  have  for  my  royal  Bengal  stem"  I  imme- 
diately -went  to  my  room,  and  the  officers  came  and  took  me  out,  and 
confined  me  again  in  cell  No.  3,  a  room  about  fifteen  ieet  square,  and 
one  window  therein,  which  was  covered  with  boards.  I  had  belonged 
to  a  mess  in  the  prison  room,  and  the  mess  resolved  t  >  supply  me  with 
my  meals  Mr.  Allen,  the  warden,  refused  to  let  me  have  the  food 
sent  me,  and  sent  it  back.  I  wrote  a  note  to  the  mess,  and  learned 
that  it  was  refused.  I  was  not  allowed  to  purchase  anything  from  the 
commissary;  I  asked  for  rations  and  they  were  refused  me.  I  had 
nothing  to  eat  from  Friday  morning  to  Saturday  sometime  during  the 
day. 

Question. — On  what  charge  are  you  confined? 

Answer. — I  have  been  in  prison  since  the  Sih  day  of  November  last. 
on  suspicion  of  being  a  spy.  I  applied  for,  and  obtained  a  writ  of 
habeas  corpus,  and  on  the  6th  of  March.  Mr.  Aylett,  the  counsel  for 
the  Confederate  States,  closed  the  case,  announcing  that  no  evidence 
had  been  adduced  to  hold  me  on  the  charge.  On  the  1  1th  of  March, 
judgment  was  rendered  in  the  case  by  Judge  Lyons,  and  1  was  informed 
that  I  was  at  liberty  to  return  to  the  North  by  flag  of  truce,  which  I 
refused  to  do,  &c,  &c. 

Question. — What  is  Caotain  Alexander's  treatment  of  the  other 
prisoners  under  his  charge? 

Answer. — Captain  Alexander  has  his  favorites.  There  are  prisoners 
there  whose  sentences  of  court  martial,  condemning  them  to  wear  ball 
and  chain,  have  not  been  carried  out.  I  know  of  two  instances,  and 
others  have  been  toll  me  by  the  prisoners.  Any  person  or  prisoner 
could  be  Captain  Alexander's  favorite  if  he  would  become  his  pimp. 
I. could  have  been  one  I  reckon. 

Question. — Relate  what  instances  you  know  of  sentences  not  being 
carried  out. 

Answer. — I  kn:>w  of  one  young  man  who  was  sentenced  by  court 
martial  to  wear  a  ball  and  chain,  whose  sentence  was  not  carried  out. 
He  was  sentenced  to  ball  and  chain  and  bard  labor.  He  was  a  fine 
young  man,  and  I  assisted  him  to  write  a  letter  to  the  President  of  the 
Confederate  States  asking  a  commutation  of  the  sentence.  The  charge 
against  him  was  assaulting  his  superior  officer  and  desertion,  lie  w;is 
in  the  citizens'  room  and  never  had  the  ball  and  chain  on. 

Question. — Did   you    ever   see    any    Confederate    soldiers    whip 
there  ? 

Answer. — T  have  seen  several  whipping  operations. 

Qufslion. — Without  the  order  of  a  court  martial  ? 

Answ  r — T  don't  know.  One  James  McLashen,  I  was  told,  was 
whipped  twelve  lashes  for  being  quarrelsome  in  the  prisoners'  room. 
1  have  seen  Yankee  prisoners  whipped  for  quarreling.  I  saw  four 
whipped  at  one  time.  I  was  not  where  I  could  see  at  all  times.  I 
think  two  were  whipped  without  the  order  of  the  court  martial.  They 
were  whipped  on  the  bare  back,  with  a  leather  strap.  Do  not  know 
that  the  lash  drew  blood  ;  heard  that  it  did  in  one  instance, 


24 

Question  — What  other  kinds  of  punishment  have  you  seen  in- 
flicted. 

Answer. — I  have  seen  prisoners  bucked.  One  in  the  condemned 
cell  was  bucked  for  speaking  to  persons  in  the  citizens'  room. 

Question. — How  long  do  they  remain  bucked  ? 

Answer. — I  have  seen  them  part  of  two  days  in  that  condition. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  men  wear  barrel  shirts? 

Answer  — Yes;  I  have  seen  two  prisoners  with  them  on  about  the 
prison. 

Question. — Is  the  punishment  of  the  shirt  severe  ? 

Answer. — No,  not  painful ;  not  so  severe  as  either  thumbing  or 
bucking.     The  humiliation  is  greater  than  the  punishment. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  any  thumbing  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  have  seen  prisoners  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  as  high 
as  they  could  reach  on  their  tip-toes.  They  were  tied  with  a  small 
sized  whip  cord. 

Question. — How  many  hours  have  you  known  them  to  remain  in 
that  condition. 

Answer. — I  have  known  them  to  remain  in  that  condition  from 
morning  until  night. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  examine  to  see  if  any  blood  was  drawn  by 
the  cord  ? 

Answer. — Once  I  did.  The  prisoner  had  pulled  and  loosened  the 
cord,  and  Lis  thumbs  were  black  and  blue.  He  didn't  complain  of 
pain,  but  rather  took  it  as  a  good  joke.  I  have  seen  men  tied  up 
around  a  post  so  tightly  that  they  couldn't  lie  down  or  sit  down.  In 
one  instance,  I  was  told  that  it  was  the  orders  of  Captain  Alexander 
that  they  should  remain  so  all  night,  but  some  of  the  officers  had  let 
them  down  so  they  could  sit  and  lie  down. 

Question. — WJiat  was  the  crime  ? 

Answer.- — Attempting  to  bribe  the  guard,  I  believe. 

Question. — Is  the  foregoing  all  the  instances  you  know  of? 

Answer. — They  are  all  I  can  recall  at  present. 

Question. — How  many  prisoners  were  put  into  the  yard  on  one  oc- 
casion ? 

Answer. — All  in  room  No.  2 — about  one  hundred. 

Question. — How  long  did  they  remain  there  ? 

Answer. — For  several  days,  I  think.  It  was  in  the  latter  part  of 
November  or  December.  Their  offence  was  putting  powder  in  the 
stove. 

Question. — Were  any  of  them  sick  afterwards  ? 

Answer. — I  cannot  say,  but  I  understood  some  were  ill  from  the 
effects  of  the  exposure.  They  had  neither  covering,  fire,  nor  shelter, 
except  the  high  walls,  and  it  was  raining  part  of  the  time. 

Question. — Did  Captain  Alexander  give  an  order  to  have  a  fire  built 
in  the  the  yard  ? 

Answer. — I  never  heard  of  any. 

Question. — How  many  days  were  they  kept  there  ? 

Answer. — Four  or  five,  I  understood. 

Question. — Were  any  men  shot  at  the  prison  ? 


25 

Ansrer. — Yes,  I  have  heard  of  men  being  shot  and  shot  at  for  put- 
ting their  heads  out  of  the  window.  I,  myself,  was  threatened  with 
shooting.  I  know  Captain  Alexander  gave  an  order  to  the  guard  to 
shoot  me  while  I  was  looking  out  of  an  open  window  once.  I  drew  down 
the  window  without  moving  my  head  and  defied  them.  I  remonstrated 
with  Captain  Alexander,  and  told  him  my  head  was  not  cutside  of  the 
window,  and  neither  was  it. 

Question. — Are  there  any  female  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  two,  I  believe. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  of  their  treatment  ? 

Answer. — No,  only  what  has  been  told  me. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Mr.  Kirby,  where  are  you  from  ? 

Answer. — From  Niagara,  Canada,  sir,  and  have  been  confined  eight 
months  in  the  citizens'  room. 

Question. — What  were  you  sent  from  that  room  for  ? 

Answer. — A  difficulty  I  had  with  the  Captain,  I  suppose.  We  were 
ordered  to  scrub  and  prepare  the  room  for  the  visit  of  the  inspection 
committee,  and  the  guard  would  allow  but  two  of  us  to  go  to  the  pump 
for  water  at  one  time.  I  remonstrated  with  Captain  Alexander  when 
he  called  me  "a  damned  son  of  a  bitch,"  and  I  called  him  "a  damned 
coward."  I  was  put  in  the  cell,  but  that  night  ordered  back  to  the 
citizens'  room.     I  apologized  for  my  conduct. 

Question. — Then  you  were  put  out  of  the  citizens'  room  last  Friday. 

Answer. — Yes;   my  difficulty  with  Captain  Alexander  caused  it. 

Question. — You  have  a  good  room  and  a  good  bed  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  The  captain  hasn't  taken  them  away  yet,  but  I  am 
not  indebted  to  him  for  my  bed  ? 

Questio?r  by  Copt.  Alexander. — You  say  I  didn't  carry  out  the  sen- 
tence of  Leary,  who  was  condemned  to  wear  ball  and  chain  ? 

Answer. — No,  you  did  not. 

Question. — Did  not  you  yourself  petition  the  President  for  his  re- 
prieve ?  And  did  not  you  sit  down  in  my  office  and  write  a  letter  to 
the  President  for  Leary  concerning  his  case  ?  And  did  I  not  allow 
you  to  receive  your  meals  from  the  hotels  and  faro  banks,  and  gave 
you  many  privileges  not  enjoyed  by  the  other  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  captain,  you  did  all  that. 

Question. — You  say  Mr.  Allen's  treatment  of  the  prisoners  is  inhu- 
man ? 

Answer. — He  is  generally  intoxicated,  and  it  is  the  merest  excep- 
tion in  the  world  that  I  ever  got  a  kind  answer  out  of  him. 

fion  by  Committee.-^- What  is  your  opinion  of  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — It  consider  him  in  all  respects  a  vile,  low,  inhuman  per- 
son. 

Question. — Do  you  find  prisoners  like  kind  and  humane  officers  ? 

Answr. — I  have  heard  prisoners  say  they  could  have  escaped  at 
times  when  it  was  Mr.  Pigg's  night  on,  but  they  would  not  do  it  for 
fear  of  compromising  his  character.  All  the  officers  are  down  on  him. 
I  have  known  the  Captain  to  treat  him  kindly,  and  at  other  times  snubb 
him. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Mr.  Bland  ? 


2G 

Answer. — Yes,  his  deportment  is  generally  kind. 

Question. — Do  you  know  about  the  case  of  George  "Wright? 

Answer.—  Yes,  but  I  never  saw  him  until  I  saw  him  in  the  hospital. 

Question. — Are  you,  as  a  prisoner,  allowed  to  see  persons  from 
without  the  prison  ? 

Answer. — Once  Hon.  Mr.  Boteler  called  to  see  me,  and  I  was  re- 
fused an  interview  with  him.  I  have  sent  for  persons  who  have  been 
refused  to  see  .me.  I  have  been  allowed  to  communicate  with  counsel 
several  times  under  seal,  and  this  privilege  was  also  stopped.  I  once 
gave  a  letter  to  Mr.  Riggs  to  carry  to  the  Captain  to  read.  He  said 
it  must  go  to  General  Winder,  and  I  gave  it  to  Mr.  Ward.  On  Sun- 
day morning  following,  some  four  or  five  days  after,  Mr.  Ward  said  he 
had  gin  the  letter  to  Captain  Alexander. 

Question. — What  became  of  the  letter? 

Answer. — I  don't  know,  sir. 

Captain  Alexander  — Mr.  Chairman  shall  I  send  to  General  Winder's 
and  get  it.     The  letter  is  on  hie  there  ? 

By  Mr.  Ward. — There  is  an  order  from  General  Winder  that  all 
communications  from  the  prison  shall  go  through  his  office.  Accor- 
dingly all  letters  from  the  prisoners  are  put  in  a  box,  and  taken  up  to 
General  Winder  daily. 

Question  by  Committee. — What  did  you  come  here  fcr,  Mr.  Kirby  ? 

Answer. — I  had  special  business  to  the  Confederate  government. 

Question. — Was  that  business  made  known  on  your  arrival  here  ? 

Answer. — It  was. 

Question. — Are  the  authorities  aware  of  your  arrest  ? 

Answer. — They  are. 

John  Siieiian,  sworn. 

Question  by  Committee. — You  are  a  prisoner  at  the  Castle  and  a  Con- 
federate soldier  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question. — What  is  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners  generally  at  the 
Castle  ? 

Answer. — In  a  majority  of  cases  I  think  they  are  treated  kindly. 
Men  are  whipped  there.  I  have  seen  them  whipped  without  the  sen- 
tence of  the  Court  Martial.  Captain  Alexander  I  saw  present  at  the 
whipping. 

Question. — How  many  lashes  were  laid  on  ? 

Answtr. — From  six  to  eight  lashes,  I  should  judge.  They  were 
laid  on  hard.  The  offence  in  one  case  was  rioting  and  fighting  in  the 
prison  room. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  any  "  bucking  "  there? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  men  whipped  who  were  Confederate  soldiers. 
The  "  bucking"  was  for  the  rioting  in  the  prison.  I  have  known  men 
to  remain  '•  bucked"  as  long  as  four  hours. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  prisoners  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  ? 

/Answer. — Yes,  I  think  so.  He  wa^  a  Confederate  soldier,  belonging 
to  Rogers'  cavalry.     His  offence  was  thieving,  I  believe. 

Question. — What  about  the  prisoners  put  out  into  the  yards  ? 

Answer. — It  was  in  November,  and  they  were  kept  there  several 


27 

days.  A  few  had  bed  covering.  Some  were  in  bad  health  when  put  out 
there,  and  looked  miserable  enough.  Some  were  sick  immediately 
after  their  exposure,  and  I  remember  of  one  dying  in  the  hospital. 

Question. — Have   you  seen  any  men  shot  there? 

Answer. — Yes,  one  was  Carroll,  who  attempted  to  escape. 

Queston. — Could  he  not  have  been  captured  without  shooting? 

Answer. — lie  was  in  the  act  of  getting  out  of  a  window  on  to  the 
portico,  beneath  which  was  the  guard.  I  think  he  could  have  been 
easily  taken  without  killing. 

Question. — Was  there  any  investigation  into  the  shooting? 

Answer. — I  did'nt  hear  of  any.  I  have  known  prisoners  to  be  shot 
at  for  putting  their  heads  out  of  the  windows.  The  orders  are  to  shoot 
them  if  they  will  not  obey  the  sentinels.  They  have  been  told  that 
often  enough.  I  have  put  my  head  out  of  the  window  a  thousand 
times  and  never  was  shot  at. 

Question. — Have  you  got  a  cell  or  "  sweat  house"  for  the  solitary 
confinement  of  prisoners? 

Answer.— »Yes,  it  is  a  room  about  eight  feet  square.  I  was  con- 
fined there  once  in  irons.  I  could  lay  down.  There  are  no  windows. 
There  is  no  protection  from  eitherthe  heat  or  cold. 

Question. — What  were  you  put  in  the  cell  for  ? 

.  /  swer. — For  going  out,  as  coporal  of  the  prison,  and  getting  drunk. 
I  am  in  prison  for  being  absent  from  my  regiment  without  leave.  My 
sentence  will  be  out  to-day  or  to-morrow.  I  have  been  in  prison  six 
months.     I  was  there  one  month  before  any  charge  was  preferred. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — You  are  a  sailor,  are  you  not,  She- 
han  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question. — Is  it  not  my  habit  to  treat  prisoners  kindly? 

Answer. — No,  sir,-  it  is  cruel  and  inhuman. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — What  is  Captain  Alexander's 
deportment  towards  prisoners? 

.  Inswi  r  — Sometimes  he  is  kind  as  can  be,  and  at  other  times  he  is 
the  very  opposite. 

Question. — You  know  Caphart? 

Answer. — I  knew  him  in  Norfolk.  He  has  little  to  do  with  tho 
prison.     Never  saw  him  arrest  a  man. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Has  my  conduct  been  kind  ? 

.7  swer. — Yes,  you  are  a  gentleman  as  far  as  Iknow. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Have  I  not  a  great  deal  to  provoke 
and  make  me  angry  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  1  know  you  have.  You  have  treated  me  well.  I 
do  not  find  fault  with  the  harshness  of  the  rules,  but  it  is  impossible 
to  keep  so  many  men  in  perfect  order. 

Charlotte  Gilmah,  sworn — I  have  been  in  Castles  Godwin  and 
Thunder  going  on  twelve  months  all  together,  the  last  time  about  one 
month. 

estion,  —  What  are  you  in  prison  for? 

— I  am  a  witness  against    George    W.    Elam    for   counter- 
feiting. 


28 

Question. — What  is  the  general  treatment  of  the  prisoners? 

Answer. — I  have  always  been  well  treated.  All  the  ladies  there 
spoke  of  Captain  Alexander  in  the  highest  terms.  All  like  him.  I 
know  nothing  of  the  treatment  of  the  other  prisoners. 

Questivn  by  Captain  Alexander. — Did  -I  not  go  to  General  Winder 
and  get  an  order  for  your  washing  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  you  did.  You  have  been  very  kind;  and  you  let  me 
go  out  very  often. 

William  Campbell,  sworn. — I  have  seen  no  cruelty  on  the  part  of 
Captain  Alexander  towards  the  prisoners.  I  think  I  am  the  only  ono 
who  ever  suffered.  I  was  among  the  number  put  into  the  yard.  I 
was  also  bucked  and  put  in  the  yard.  The  charge  against  me  is  deser- 
tion.    I  am  from  Louisiana. 

Question. — Have  you  been  tried  by  court  martial  ? 

Answer. — No  sir. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  been  in  prison  ? 

Answer. — Only  one  iLonth  the  last  time.  I  have  escaped  three  or 
four  times. 


Thursday,  April  16,  1863. 

The  examination  of  witnesses  was  resumed. 

V.  T.  Crawford,  sworn. — I  am  located  in  .Richmond,  and  am  a 
practicing  lawyer.  I  was  admitted  to  the  bar  some  eight  months  ago. 
I  know  nothing  of  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners  confined  in  Castle 
Thunder,  but  I  do  know  something  of  the  conduct  of  its  officers  who 
are  called  upon  to  visit  the  prison  in  a  professional  wray.  After  I  had 
visited  the  prison  once  or  twice  without  interruption,  obstacles  began 
to  be  thrown  in  my  way.  First,  an  order  forbidding  conversation  be- 
tween myself  and  clients,  without  a  third  person,  in  the  shape  of  an 
officer,  being  present.  At  another  time  I  was  refused  admittance  be- 
yond the  guard,  and  all  the  conversation  I  could  hold  with  my  clients 
had  to  be  carried  on  through  a  wire  gauze  screen.  At  another  time, 
Mr.  Ward  informed. me  I  would  have  to  get  an  official  permit  from 
General  Winder  to  see  prisoners.  I  went  to  General  Winder  for  the 
pass,  and  after  some  delay  I  was  furnished  with  a  general  pass,  which 
had  to  be  renewed  on  the  occasion  of  every  visit.  General  Winder 
asked  me  about  the  prisioners  I  wished  to  see,  and  said  there  were 
some  men  there  whom  they  did  not  wish  to  have  counsel.  I  asked 
him  what  men  ?  And  he  replied,  "we  have  our  rights  and  you  yours," 
and  something  more  which  I  do  not  recollect.  I  have  continued 
visiting  the  prison  up  to  Tuesday  last  on  a  pass,  to  be  admitted  at  the 
discretion  of  the  commandant.  Day  before  yesterday  I  wrote  out  a 
pass  to  admit  me  to  an  interview  with  two  prisoners,  Georga  Sum- 
mers, and  Lieutenant  George  Brown.  I  carried  it  to  Captain  Winder, 
in  a  back  room  at  the  headquarters,  and  he   signed  it.     Both  of   the 


29 

men  sent  letters  requesting  to  see  me,  six  days  after  that.  I  never 
got  the  letter.  Enquired  and  found  he  had  given  it  to  Mr.  Allen, 
who  said  he  had  handed  it  to  Mr.  Ward  to  forward  to  General  Winder. 
Went  to  General  Winder,  but  found  no  letter  there.  Eight  or  ten 
days  after  that  the  letter  reached  me. 

Question  by  Chairman  of  Committee. — Did  Captain  Alexander  ob- 
struct your  intercourse  with  the  prisoners? 

Jjnsivcr. — He  told  me  to  do  my  speaking  to  them  through  the 
guard. 

Question. — Did  he  know  your  visits  were  professional  ones? 

Answer. — Yes,  he  was  well  aware  of  that  fact. 

Question. — Were  not  some  of  your  clients  citizens? 

.  Iiswer. — Yes,  one.  A  man  named  Weeks  ;  was  a  citizen  of  Lou- 
doun or  Fauquier.  He  was  finally  tried  and  discharged,  after  an 
imprisonment  of  four  or  five  months. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  else  bearing  on  the  subject  before 
the  committee  ? 

Answer. — I  know  another  affair  which  first  raised  my  suspicions. 
I  was  called  professionally  to  see  a  soldier  named  Miller,  b6longing 
to  Captain  Thornton's  company  of  Caroline  County.  I  agreed  to 
undertake  his  case  for  fifty  dollars,  and  he  said  he  would  give  that. 
Miller  was  discharged,  and  when  I  saw  him  he  said  Mr.  Ward  had 
told  him  not  to  pay  me  the  fifty  dollars  fee,  as  he,  (Mr.  Ward)  had 
done  more  for  him  than  I  had.  Previous  to  this,  Miller  told  Ward 
to  keep  a  note  for  sixty-five  dollars,  and  give  it  to  me.  I  enquired 
for  the  note  of  Mr.  Ward,  and  it  was  not  to  be  found. 

Question. — Did  Miller  pay  Mr.  Ward? 

Answer. — I  cannot  say  that  he  did. 

Mr.  Ward  to  the  Committee. — I  deny  the  statement  Mr.  Crawford 
has  made.  He  called  on  me  on  one  occasion  and  desired  that  I  should 
solicit  practice  for  him,  or,  in  other  words,  take  advantage  of  my 
position  to  drum  up  clients  for  him  at  the  Castle.  lie  said  he  under- 
stood such  a  procedure  was  custom  iry  at  the  Richmond  bar,  and 
offered  to  give  me  half  of  the  proceeds  of  such  a  joint  operation.  I 
told  him  1  would  not  be  a  party  toany  such  arrangement,  that  it  was 
unprofessional,  and  that  a  party  who  stooped  to  it  would  most  certainly 
loose  standing  and  position  at  the  bar.  I  did  say  that  in  case  Mr. 
Crawford  was  enquired  for  I  would  notify  him  of  it. 

Dennis  Connf.rs  sworn. — I  was  an  inmate  of  Castle  Thunder.  I 
am  paroled  to  report  there  until  I  made  a  ch:nce  of  the  branch  of  the 
6ervice  I  shall  enter.      I  prefer  the  navy. 

Question  by  Committee. — How  were  you  treated  while  there? 

noer. — I  was  taken  up  on  the  street  late  at  night  by  the  guard 
and  sent  to  Castle  Thunder  as  a  supposed  deserter.  I  had  been  drink- 
put  in  a  dungeon,  a  small  room  called  the  "sweat 
house."  1  was  kept  there  from  Thursday  to  Saturday  at  3  o'clock, 
when  I  was  taken  up  t-tairs  to  be  flogged,  by  order  of  Captain  Alex- 
ander. 1  was  ordered  to  take  off  my  clothes,  and  I  stripped.  I  was 
tied  up  by  my  wrists  to  a  post,   and  one  of  the   members  of  Captain 


so 

Bossieux's  company  laid  on  the  lashes,  and  he  would  spring  on  hi3 
toes  at  every  lick.  Capt.  Alexander  was  present,  and  told  the  man 
with  the  lash  to  lay  it  on  to  me.  That  was  the  only  time  I  was 
ever  whipped. 

Question. — Who  arrested  you  ? 

Answer. — Caphart  arrested  me.  I  don't  know  anything  about  his 
general  disposition,  as  he  never  came  among  the  prisoners  much.  He 
looked  as  if  he  would  treat  them  rough  if  he  had  anything  against 
them.  The  prisoners  all  liked  lliggs.  He  could  go  among  them 
without  molestation  at  all  times.  Mr.  Allen,  the  warden,  is  a  rough 
man.  I  was  put  into  the  yard  along  with  the  other  prisoners.  It 
was  for  exploding  powder  in  the  room.  There  was  no  danger  of 
blowing  up  the  building.  It  was  done  to  frighten  some  North  Caro- 
lina soldiers  who  were  lying  by  the  wall  asleep. 

Question. — Did  Captain  Alexander  find  out  the  guilty  parties  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir.  They  were  all  put  down  into  the  yard  because 
none  would  tell.  The  orders  were  to  take  no  blankets  or  extra  cover- 
ing, but  some  were  lowered  from  the  windows  afterwards.  Some  of 
the  prisoners  were  in  bad  health ;  several  died  from  it,  and  several 
were  taken  into  the  hospital. 

Question. — Had  the  prisoners  any  fire  in  the  yard  ? 

Answer. — -The  commissary  gave  them  some  wood,  a  dozen  sticks  or 
so  at  night,  but  none  in  the  day  time.  I  don't  remember  the  month 
but  it  was  in  November,  I  think.  It  snowed  the  first  night,  and  the 
next  night  it  rained.  The  ground  was  not  very  muddy  until  our  feet 
cut  it  up. 

Question. — Did  you  see  any  other  whipping  there? 

Answer. — Oh,  yes.  I  don't  know  whether  by  order  of  court  martial 
or  not.  I  saw  ten  whipped  for  being  concerned  in  stealing  one  coat. 
All  except  one  were  whipped,. and  he  was  a  Federal  prisoner.  The 
others  were  Confederate  soldiers  and  two  Yankee  deserters. 

Question. — They  were  whipped  because  the  coat  could  not  be 
found  ? 

Answer. — They  did  not  know  anything  about  it,  I  reckon.  The 
coat  was  found.  The  prisoner  who  lost  the  coat  selected  the  prisoners 
whom  he  suspected  to  be  whipped.  Captain  Alexander  was  present,. 
and  ordered  the  lashes  to  be  laid  on  hard. 

Question  — How  many  lashes  did  they  strike  each  ? 

Answer. — Well,  some  six,  some  eight,  and  some  twelve. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  any  men  "  bucked"  there  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  for  such  offencea  as  disobeying  orders,  cutting  the 
walls,  transgressing  the  rules,  &c. 

Question. — Is  "  bucking"  severe  ? 

Answer. — No,  not  very  severe. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  any  men  being  killed  there  1 

Answer. — Yes,  several  men  were  shot. 

Question. — Do  prisoners  who  are  confined  in  the  "  sweat  room'* 
suffer  much  ? 

Answer. — There  is  air  but  no  light,  and  the  fare  is  bread  and  water. 
I  did  not  suffer  for  water.     The    corporal  of  the  guard    brought  me 


31 

water,  and  I  had  a  bucket  for  slops.    I  could  go  out  once  a  day  myself. 

Quotum. — When  arrested  were  you  taken  before  the  Provost  Viar- 
shal  or  to  the  Castle  ? 

Answtr. — I  was  taken  to  the  Castle. 

By  Captain  Alexander.— I  had  your  brother  Thomas  there  once 
Connor,  what  was  my  treatment  of  him  ? 

Ansto  r. — Well,  Captain,  you  treated  me  rather  rough. 

Question.— Are  not  all  the  prisoners  glad  to  see  me  when  I  como 
among  them  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  because  they  wanted  you  to  transact  some  business 
for  them.  Sometimes  I  wanted  to  get  little  things  in,  such  as  cloth- 
ing, &o.f  and  I  could  not  get  them  ;  and  persons  wishing  to  see  me 
have  been  denied,  I  supposed,  by  your  order. 

Marion  C.  Riggs  sworn  : 

Qui st ion  bij  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee. — What  is  your  position 
at  the  Castle,  Mr.  Riggs? 

Answer. — 1  was  warden. 

Question.— Whtf  is  the  deportment  of  Captain  Alexander  towards 
the  prisoners  confined  there  ? 

Anwer. — I  have  seen  many  instances  of  cruelty  by  order  of  Cap- 
tain Alexander.  I  regard  the  treatment  of  the  prisoners  by  Captain 
A.  and  his  officers  as  cruel  and  inhuman. 

Que  turn. — Have  you  seen  men  whipped  there? 

Answer.— Yes,  on  seveial  occasions,  some  I  knew  were  not  by  the 
order  of  a  court  martial.  They  were  charged  with  stealing  from  oilier 
prisoners  up  stairs.  Others  were  whipped  for  beating,  breaking  out 
of  cells,  and  interfering  with  the  guard.  &e. 

Question. — What  number  of  lashes  did  they  receive. 

Answer. — I  have  known  as  many  as  twelve  to  be  laid  on. 

Question. — Did  you  see  any  bucking  done  there  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  prisoners  put  into  the  back  yard  and  kept  there 
two  or  three  days  and  nights  in  succession.  It  was  in  cold  weather. 
Some  were  well  provided  with  clothing.  There  was  no  sheltering  ex- 
cept the  wall,  and  no  extra  covering.  They  were  fed  on  bread  and 
water  during  that  time. 

Hon.— Do  you  know  of  any  men  dying  there  after  being  taken 
out  ? 

Answer. — I  know  of  none,  though  several  were  sick. 
Question.— -The  "  sweat  house"— do  you  know  of  men  being  confined 
there  ? 

Answer.— Generally  men  caught  in  attempting  to  escape  were  put 
in  there  on  bread  and  water. 

Question. — What  is  "  bucking  I"     Describe  it. 

Answer.— It  is  a  severe  and  degrading  punishment.  It  is  done  by 
passing  a  split  across  the  elbows  and  tying  them  beneath  the  thighs, 
after  the  manner  of  a  calf  going  to  market. 

Question. — Were  any  men  shot  there  ? 

Answer.—]  recollect  one  man  who  was  shot  while  rushing  past  the 
sentinel  out  of  a  cell       He  was  shot  in  the  enclosed  yard.    °IIe  could 


have  been  secured  without  shooting.  He  was  making  his  way  up 
stairs,  and  was  fired  upon  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs.  He  died  in  three 
or  four  days.     lie  seemed  to  be  insane. 

Question. — What  was  Captain  Alexander's  deportment  then  ?  Did 
he  seem  to  regret  it  ? 

Answer. — I  cannot  say. 

Question. — "What  was  the  man's  name;  was  he  a  Confederate  soldier? 

Answer. — I  never  could  find  out  his  name.  It  was  in  October  or  No- 
vember, 1862. 

Questim. — Was  there  an  investigation  into  the  shooting  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know. 

Question. — Did  Captain  Alexander  give  orders  to  shoot  men  attempt- 
ing to  escape  ? 

Answer. — I  never  heard  of  such  an  order. 

Question. — Did  you  hear  any  regrets  expressed  among  the  officers 
for  the  shooting  of  this  man  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  several,  but  not  Caphart  or  Allen.  I  heard  the 
surgeon  of  the  post  wasn't  in,  and  sent  for  Dr.  Rueker,  a  prisoner. 
I  picked  him  up.     He  was  crazy  and  no  mistake. 

Question. — Was  it  known  that  he  was  deranged  ? 

Answer. — I  could  tell  he  was.  He  was  brought  from  the  Libby 
prison  where  he  was  fired  upon  for  the  same  offence,  and  was  killed  at 
the  Castle  the  day  he  entered. 

Question. — What  is  the  general  character  of  Caphart  ?     Is  he  kind? 

Answer. — I  would  say  not;  rather  brutal.  I  have  known  instances 
when  he  lias  been  ordered  to  tie  up  and  buck  prisoners,  and  he  seemed 
to  take  a  special  pleasure  in  it.  He  would  tie  them  up  as  tight  as  pos- 
sible, and  I  myself  have  let  them  down.  I  never  heard  him  curse 
prisoners,  but  have  seen  him  shake  his  stick  over  them  when  brought 
in.     I  never  heard  him  express  any  regrets  for  them. 

Question. — What  of  Allen  ?     Is  he  kind  and  humane  ? 

Answer. — I  never  saw  him  use  physical  force.  I  have  heard  him 
curse  the  prisoners. 

Question. — Is  there  any  difficulty  in  managing  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Sometimes  there  is  insubordination.  They  never  resisted 
me,  nor  threw  beef  bones  at  me,  and  I  was  frequently  among  them. 

Question. — Do  you  think  they  would  be  insubordinate  if  kindly 
treated  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  believe  they  would. 

Question. — Are  you  connected  with  the  prison  now? 

Answer. — I  was  discharged  on  the  first  of  the  month,  it  was  said, 
by  the  board  of  Investigating  Committee,  to  reduce  force  and  ex- 
penses. 

Question. — Do  you  know  at  whose  instance  you  were  discharged? 

Answer. — I  do  not. 

Question. — Are  persons  allowed  to  see  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  if  they  have  passes. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  obstacles  being  thrown  in  the  way  of 
attorneys  wishing  to  see  clients  ? 


33 

Answer. — I  have  known  instances.  They  are  permitted  to  go  in 
■and  stand  at  a  screen  window  and  talk  through  it. 

Question. — Do  you  consider  Allen  cruel  ? 

A nswer.— Sometimes  he  is  kind,  and  at  other  times  crabbed.  I 
like  him  very  much. 

(Question. — Do  you  regard  Captain  Alexander  as  cruel  ? 

Answer. — I  have  thought  his  punishments  more  severe  than  the 
cases  demanded.      He  always  had  some  friend  whom  he  shielded. 

Qui si ion. — Do  you  know  of  any  cases  where  the  Captain  has  taken 
the  responsibility  of  remitting  the  sentences  of  court  martial  I 

Answer. — No,  sir,  I  do  not.  I  was  connected  with  the  prison  six 
months,  and  saw  punishments  once  or  twice  a  week. 

Question. — Hear  of  any  complaints  about  food  I 

Answer. — Yes,  there  were  some  complaints.  There  were  plenty  of 
food  though  ;  a  pound  of  meat  and  a  loaf  of  bread  each.  The  floors 
were  swept  once  or  twice  a  day,  and  washed  once  a  week,  generally 
on  a  Saturday. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. —  What  are  the  characters  of  the 
prisoners  confined  there  ? 

Ansioer. — Very  despeiate  fellows,  many  <.f  them.  I  saw  the  cases 
of  Mitchell  and  Tyiee,  who  were  beaten  by  them,  and  the  men  who 
were  struck  by  a  slung  shot.  The  guilty  were  afterwards  whipped  by 
order  from  headquarters  (Gen.  Winder's.)  My  position  was  on  the 
same  floor  with  the  mass  of  prisoners. 

(Question  by  Captain  Alexander  — What  is  the  cry  when  a  new  prisoner 
enters  ? 

Answer. — "  Fresh  fish  !"  They  are  then  generally  beat  and  robbed 
if  they  have  anything  worth  while. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Has  Captain  Alexander  been  kind  to  you 
and  the  other  officers  ? 

Answer. — Yes. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Do  you  think  I  am  unkind  ? 

Answei . — Yes,  in  some  instances. 

Question  6y  Committee. — When  Captain  Alexander  sent  the  prisoners 
into  the  yard,  was  it  done  by  order  of  Gen.  Winder  I 

Answer. — I  don't  know  that  it  was. 

Question.  —  Wai  it  in  the  newspapers? 
oer. — Yes,  1  think  it  was. 

Question. — Do  you  think  Captain  Alexander,  by  nature,  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answir. — Yes,  I  consider  his  treatment  cruel. 

Question. — What  do  the  prisoners  think  of  Captain  Alexander  ? 

Answer. — I  have  heard  him  spoken  of  with  disrespect. 

Captain  Cyrus  Bossu  i  \  -worn. 

Question  by  Committee. — You  are  stationed  at  the  prison,  are  you  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir. 

Question. — What  punishments  have  been  inflicted  there  in  violation 
of  law  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  know  that  I  have  seen  any  in  violation  of  law.    I 
know  of  whippings  and  backings,  and  men  being  put  into  the  yard  to 
find  out  the  perpetrators  of  outrages  on  prisoners. 
3 


34 

Question. — Have  you  seen  any  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  ? 

Answer. — But  I  have  seen  them  bucked.  It  is  not  severe,  but  is 
e3teemed  humiliating.  I  have  seen  men  tied  up  to  a  post ;  I  can't 
swear  that  I  saw  them  tied  by  the  thumbs  ;  but  the  punishment  can 
either  be  made  light  or  severe.  I  know  one  who  was  tied  up  for 
attempting  to  bribe  my  guard.  The  guard  told  me  of  it,  and  I  re- 
ported the  case  to  Captain  Alexander.  Captain  Alexander  ordered 
him  to  be  handcuffed,  and  tied  to  a  post.  He  sent  for  me  and  I  ex- 
amined his  ropes. .  I  loosened  them,  and  he  was  afterwards  set  at 
liberty.  There  were  two  connected  in  the  bribing,  and  they  were 
Confederate  soldiers. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Riggs  ? 

Answir. — Yes,  I  do. 

Question. — Do  the  prisoners  like  him  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  they  do,  as  one  of  the  wardens. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  think  him  inhuman,  if  prisoners  don't  resist  him 
hard  ;  I  don't  consider  him  kind  by  any  means.  On  one  occasion, 
Caphart,  while  having  two  prisoners,  Dennis  and  O'Connor,  in  charge, 
one  of  the  prisoners  knocked  a  guard  down,  and  Caphart  ordered  the 
guard  to  fire,  which  they  did  not  do. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  any  men  shot  there  ? 

Answer. — One  of  my  guard  shot  a  man  who  was  attempting  to 
escape.  The  orders  are  not  to  shoot  a  man  of  whom  there  was  a  pos- 
sibility of  capturing. 

Question. — Were  these  orders  from  the  Captain  ? 

Answer — Yes  ;  Dut  I  don't  know  that  the  orders  were  peremptory 
to  shoot  every  one. 

Question. — Is  there  any  necessity  for  shooting  deranged  men  ? 

Answer. — I  did  not  see  the  shooting  ;  never  heard  of  that ;  I  did'nt 
ppeak  of  that. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  hear  of  orders  to  the  guard,  by  the  military 
commandant  of  prisoners,  to  kill  them  were  they  to  put  their  heads 
cut  of  the  windows  ? 

Answer. — Persistent  effort  in  that  way  would  ensure  their  firing 
cpon  because  it  was  against  the  rules. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — The  night  that  Riggs  and  Dillard 
had  the  fight,  Riggs  says  I  was  drunk  ;  was  he  not  drunk  or  under 
the  influence  of  liquor? 

Answer. — I  heard  he  was,  sir. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Do  you  think  I  am  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir,  I  do  not  think  so. 

Question,  continued. — I  have  sometimes  hard  cases  to  deal  with? 

Answer. — You  have  some  of  the  hardest  cases  in  the  Confederacy. 
X  have  heard  of  no  persons  being  privately  punished;  all  openly,  and 
exhibitions  for  the  public. 

Question. — Has  the  Captain  no  disposition  to  be  cruel  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir. 

Question. — Nor  Caphart  ? 

Answ  r. — Good  officer,  sir. 


35 

Question. — Ever  see  Allen  drunk  ? 

Answer. —  I  have  seen  hjm  in  liquor. 

Question. — How  many  times  have  you  seen  Riggs  drunk  ? 

Answer. — He  was  very  drunk  once  from  the  way  he  acted. 

Question. — Did  he  get  the  mania  potu. 

Answer. — I' don't  know. 

Henry  Edenbokoiuii,  sworn 

Question. —  What  are  you? 

Answer. — I  was  a  captain  in  the  East  India  royal  navy.  I  came 
through  from  Washington  in  November  last.  The  Yankees  had  taken 
my  papers,  and  I  was  taken  and  locked  up  in  Castle  Thunder  by  order 
of  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  experienced  there  excellent  treatment  by 
Captain  Alexander.  I  had  a  good  room  and  opportunity  to  see  tho 
treatment  of  other  prisoners;  never  heard  of  harsh  treatment;  never 
experienced  any  myself;  any  person  who  conforms  to  the  rule  will 
never  be  harshly  treated.  I  have  visited  and  commanded  military 
prisons  in  Europe,  in  Naples,  Sardinia,  in  I860  and '61  ;  have  visited 
and  seen  the  hulks  in  India  and  China,  and  have  seen  nothing  so 
lenient  as  at  Castle  Thunder  in  America.  In  regard  to  the  rations,  I 
consider  them  fine.  I  got  my  meals  sent  frequently  from  the  hotels, 
and  dined  there  often;  and  always  got  more  than  I  wanted.  Nothing 
was  refused  to  come  in  to  any  of  the  prisoners.  Many  small  favors 
the  prisoners  were  the  recipients  of.  Men  being  sent  off  to  their 
regiments  were  allowed  to  go  into  town,  under  guard,  to  get  clothing. 
I  have  seen  prisoners  leave  the  prison  who  would  take  an  affectionate 
and  ccrdial  leave  of  the  Captain,  and  express  regrets  to  him  at  parting. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  any  soldiers  put  in  as  comfortable 
quarters  as  you  occupied  ? 

Ansioer. — Y  s  ;  tho  citizens'  room  was  very  comfortable  indeed,  and 
I  have  seen  men  put  there. 

Question. — Then  it  depends  on  general  appearance  and  conduct  how 
treated  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  it  depends  upon  behavior  in  a  great  measure. 

Question. — Did  the  Secretary  of  War  order  your  release  ? 

Answt  r.  —  No  ;  my.  arrest  was  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 
my  release  was  effected  through  the  courts. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Do  you  think  me  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer. — No,  not  exactly  ;  but  you  make  men  toe  the  mark. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  Kiggs  drunk  ? 

A'swer. — Yes,  he  came  in  my  room  once  very  drunk. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — Have  you  been  offered  a  position  in 
the  Confederate  army? 

A?iswer  — Yes.  major  of  artillery. 

Questitm  by  Committee. — Then  you  consider  the  punishments  at  tho 
Castle  humane  in  the  highest  degree? 

Answer.  —  Yes,  I  do,  considering. 

Question  by  Committee. — Would  you  take  it  as  a  mild  punishment  to 
be  stripped  naked  and  whipped  upon  tho  bare  back  without  tho  order 
of  a  court  martial  ? 

Answer.  —  Well,  in  the  sen  ice  I  belonged  to,  whipping  was  an  ordi  • 


36 

nary  punishment.     It  was  not  considered  a  great  indignity  in  the  Eng- 
lish service  to  be  whipped  with  a  cat-o-nine  tail. 

Question. — Is  that  all  you  know  ? 

Answer. — That's  ail  I  know. 


Wednesday,  April  22,  1863. 

John  Adams,  sworn. — I  am  from  this  city,  and  have- been  in  Castle 
Tl  under  seven  months  for  leaving  my  regiment  without  leave,  and 
go  ng  home. 

Question. — What  was  your  treatment  there  ? 

Answer. — "Well,  I  was  treated  pretty  tolerable  rough.  The  charge- 
again  8t  me  was  never  established.  There  was  an  attempt  to  bribe  the 
sentinel,  and  I  was  taken  and  handcuffed,  and  ironed  around  a  post, 
and  tied  up  by  my  thumbs  with  a  rope,  my  toes  just  touching  the- 
floor.  I  was  in  that  condition  for  one  hour  or  more,  when  Captain 
Bossieux  came  along  and  released  me.  Then  I  was  put  into  the  sweat 
house,  the  floor  of  which  was  covered  with  mud  and  water.  I  was 
kept  there  two  days  and  nights.  It  was  in  March,  1862, 1  think,  and 
very  cold.  There  was  no  dry  spot  in  it.  I  could  only  stand  up  in  it 
half  bent. 

Question. — How  were  you  fed  ? 

Jinswer. — I  was'nt  fed  at  all.  I  got  nothing  except  what  I  bought 
from  the  commissary.  I  happened  to  have  some  money.  I  was  put 
into  the  back  yard,  and  kept  there  a  day  and  a  half.  I  was  bucked 
once,  with  a  relief  of  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  at  intervals. 

Question. — Were  your  wrists  tied  tight  then  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  can  show  the  scars  of  hand-cuffs  on  my  wrists,  now. 

Question. — Were  you  ever  before  a  court  martial  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  I  was  sent  to  wear  a  ball  and  chain  for  six  months, 
and  to  be  sent  to  my  company.  The  reason  I  don't  go  to  my  company 
is,  the  Captain  wants  me  to  stay  here. 

Question. — Are  your  thumbs  swollen  from  the  tying  up  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  it  was  very  painful.  I  have  seen  others  tied  up 
like  me. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  parties  whipped  without  the  authority  of 
court  martial  ? 

Answer. — Yes ;  some  five  or  six.  Their  offence  Was  stealing  from 
other  prisoners. 

Question. — How  many  lashes  did  they  receive  ? 

Answer. — Some  five  or  six,  and  some  more.  Captain  Alexander 
was  present,  and  said  once  "  dam  him,  give  him  hell:  If  he  don't 
need  it  now,  he  will."  He  seemed  to  take  delight  in  punishing  us ; 
and  he  had  a  very  rough  manner  in  the  administration  of  his  punish- 
ments. 

Question. — Has  his  general  deportment  been  such  that  you  consider 
him  cruel  and  inhuman  ? 


37 

Jlnsioer. — Yes,  I  do ;  and  I  think  it  gave  him  pleasure  to  punish 
the  prisoners. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  shooting  of  men  at  the 
•castle  ? 

Answer. — Yes ;  I  know  of  the  man  who  was  shot  at  for  sitting  in 
the  window.  The  sentinel  ordered  him  to  get  out  of  the  window.  I 
don't  know  whether  he  got  out  or  not,  but  he  fired,  and  put  a  buck- 
shot through  his  hat. 

Question. — Was  that  by  order  of  Captain  Alexander  ? 

Answer. — I  have  heard  him  tell  the  sentinel  to  shoot  the  first  man 
who  put  his  head  out  of  the  window. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir;  and  he  is  no  gentleman.  He  is  a  harsh  and 
cruel  man.  Mr.  Allen  is  rough-spoken,  and  I  have  heard  him  speak 
so  when  a  kind  word  would  have  done  as  well. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  Mr.  Allen  drunk? 

Jtnswcr. — I  have  seen  him  out  of  the  way  four  or  five  times.  Never 
saw  him  so  far  gone  that  he  could'nt  attend  to  his  business. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Itiggs  ? 

Answer. — Yes ;  he  is  a  kind  man,  and  all  the  prisoners  like  him, 

(Question. — Do  you  know  prisoners  who  like  Captain  Alexander. 

Answer. — Yes;  some  speak  in  favor  of  him. 

Question. — Do  you  think  if  Riggs  had  commanded  there  ;  you  would 
hear  of  any  fighting  or  throwing  of  bones? 

Answer. — I  don't  believe  they  would  ;  we  would  get  along  well. '  I 
never  heard  of  prisoners  who  had  made  their  arrangements  to  escape 
and  would  not  because  it  was  Riggs'  night  on. 

By  Mr.  Ward.  When  you  were  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  did  you  not 
ask  me  to  let  you  down  ? 

Answc — Yes,  you  let  me  go. 

Question. — Was'nt  the  rope  around  your  wrists  and  thumbs,  and 
over  the  nail,  and  not  around  your  thumbs  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  recollect  now. 

Question. — What  about  your  attempt  to  bribe  the  guard  ? 

Answer. — The  m  >ney  was  sent  to  me  for  that  purpose.  I  had  not 
been  accused  of  stealing. 


Friday,  April  24th,  1863. 

The  testimony  for  the  defence  was  commenced. 

Mr.  Farron,  M.  D.,  maie  a  statement  of  facts  that  fell  under  his 
notice  while  visiting  the  castle  in  the  capacity  of  one  of  the  medical 
committee  appointed  to  inspect  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  prisons 
and  hospitals.  The  impression  made  upon  his  mind  was  that  every 
care  was  taken  of  the  prisoners  that  it  was  possible  to  take.  This 
feature,  and  the  well  ordered  condition  of  everything  about  the  prison 
was  remarked  by  all  the  committee. 


33 

Captain  Jackson  Warner,  A.  Q.  M.  and  A.  C.  M.,  sworn. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  known  Captain  Alexander  ? 

Answer. — Since  June,  1861.     Never  before. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  him  intoxicated  ? 

Answer. — I  never  saw  him  drunk  ;  but  I  suppose  he  drinks  some- 
times. I  always  found  him  attentive  to  his  duties.  I  see  him  twice  a 
week,  or  oftener.     I  never  saw  or  heard  of  him  being  drunk. 

Question. — What  do  you  think  of  his  treatment  of  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — I  know  nothing  of  his  associations  with  the  prison.  I 
never  heard  him  curse  in  my  life;  think  he  is  a  member  of  Church 

Question. — Did  you  ever  see  him  treat  a  prisoner  roughly  ? 

Answer. — Never  in  my  life. 

Question  — What  are  your  ideas  of  the  management  of  the  prison  f 

Answer. — I  always  thought  the  prison  was  managed  well,  and  I 
have  had  opportunities  to  see  and  know.  I  have  no  prison  experience 
myself. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  known  Captain  Alexander  ? 

Answer. — Since  June,  186 1- ;  and  since  that  time,  intimately  so. 

Question. — Do  you  know  any  instiances  where  Captain  Alexander 
showed  kindnesses  to  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  do.  In  the  case  of  Mr.  Larraadoux,  my  clerk. 
He  wa3  put  into  the  castle  for  drunkenness.  He  had  a  sick  wife  at 
home,  and  I  went  to  Captain  Alexander,  and,  stating  the  case,  asked 
him  to  let  him  go  home,  and  I  would  be  responsible  for  his  return. 
He- did  so,  and  the  next  morning  he  reported*  He  was  again  arrested 
when  sent  to  his  regiment,  and  again  released  on  his  parole  by  Capt 
Alexander,  upon  a  statement  of  facts  I  represented  to  him. 

Question. — In  what  rooom  was  he  confined  ? 

Answer. — In  the  room  in  which  the  clerks  slept,  so  he  told  me. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  in  regard  to  the  case  of  Govern- 
ment property  ? 

Answer. — I  never  saw  any  waste.  If  waste  had  existed,  I  would 
have  taken  notice  of  it,  as  it  is  my  business. 

William  F.  Watson,  Confederate  States  Commissioner,  sworn : 

Captain  Alexander. — Judge,  some  complaints  have  been  made  of  my 
treatment  of  lawyers  coming  to  the  Castle  on  business.  You  .have 
been  there  frequently;  tell  the'eommittee  how  you  were  treated,  and 
how  I  deal  with  the  profession. 

Answer. — I  am  a  practising  lawyer,  and  have  frequently  called  at 
the  Castle  on  business.  I  have  always  been  treated  by  Captain  Alex- 
ander with  uniform  kindness;  not  only  by  the  Captain  himself  but  by 
all  his  officers.  I  had  no  difficulty  at  all  in  gaining  access  to  the  pri- 
soner I  wished  to  see.  All,  I  had  to  do,  was  to  go  the  proper  officer 
and  they  were  either  sent  down  to  me,  or  DUp  to  them.  So  far  as  the 
character  of  the  majority  of  the  prisoners  are  concerned,  I  must  say, 
to  express  it  in  common  parlance,  they  are  a  hard  crowd.  It  must  re- 
quire great  coolness  and  determination  to  manage  them.  I  s  Cora- 
iinissioner  have  had  some  of  them  before  me. 

Question — Do  you  regard  the  Captain  as  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer. — No,  I  should  say  he  was   rather  of  a  kindly  disposition, 


39 

rather  impulsive.  He  can  manage  by  an  appeal  about  ns  well  as  any 
official  I  know. 

Question. — Do  you  think  Capt.  Alexander  a  man  not  to  be  swayed 
from  hispurpose  ? 

Answer. — I  consider  him  impulsive  but  positive  ;  one  to  do  a  tiling 
under  the  excitement  of  a  moment. 

Question. — Do  you  think  the  prisoners  could  be  managed  better  un- 
der a  milder  or  kinder  man  ? 

Answer. — Mild  men  are  not  always  the  best  for  such  posts,  a  little 
blending  of  the  severe  is  better. 

John  Df.Butts,  M.  I).,  sworn. 

I  au:  Surgeon  of  Castle  Thunder  Hospital. — So  far  as  I  have  op- 
portunities of  observation,  I  regard  the  management  of  the  prison  as 
good,  very  good.     I  have  never  had  any  prison  experience  before. 

By  Captain  Abxander. — Have  I  not  told  you,  Doctor,  that  your  or- 
ders in  regard  to  the  sick  were  supreme  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  you  have  told  me  so. 

Question. — Do  you  think  I  am  a  cruel  man  ! 

Jlnswer. — I  never  saw  any  cruelty  practised  by  you. 

Question. — Doctor,  what  was  Mr.  Bland  discharged  from  the  post  of 
steward  of  the  hospital  for  ? 

Answer. — Moral  incompetency,  I  call  it. 

(t  uestion  by  Committee.     What  is  moral  incompetency  '. 

Ansvier. — He  was  in  the  habit  of  appropriating  the  hospital  liquor 
to  his  own  private  use.  No  one  else  had  access  to  it,  for  he  had  tho 
key.  I  don't  know  how  much  was  taken,  but  a  great  deal  more  was 
used  than  went  to  the  patients. 

By  Captain  Alexander. — Is  Kirby,  the  prisoner,  comfortably  fixe  I 
now  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  he  has  the  best  room  in  the  prison  ;  the  best  ventil- 
ated and  situated. 

Question  by  Chairman. — Has    Kirby    the    privilege    of  buying 
meals  ? 

Captain  Alexander  to    ^ommittee. — Gentlemen.  I  wish  to  prove  by 
De  Battfl  that  I  never  refused  an  appeal  of  sickness.    When  a  man  is  to 
be  branded,  I  direct  the  surgeon  to  indicate  where   the    iron  is  tc  b 
placed,  and   when  men  are  sentenced  to  be  whipped  the  lashes  are  re- 
mitted if  in  the  opinion  of  the   surgeon  the  party's  health  is  nae 
to  the  punishment. 

Question  by  Chairman. — Do  you  know  of  any  prisoners  bein 
in  .the  yard  of  the  Castle  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  a  number  were  confined  there.      They  were  brought 
in  at  night.     I  knew  nothing  of  the  whipping  ;  never  saw  it  don<\ 
know  of  one  man  who  escaped  and  was  shot,  and  another  was  shot  at 
for  blackguarding  the  sentinel.     His  face  was  lascerated  by  splinter.-1., 
and  T  dressed  it  for  him. 

Colonel  Roukrt  Mayo,  member  of  the  Legislature  from  Henrico 
county,  sworn. 


,       40 

Captain  Alexander. — You  have  known  me  a  long  time,  Colonel ;  tell 
the  committee  what  you  know  of  me. 

Answer. — My  first  acquaintance  with  Captain  Alexander  was  on  an 
occasion  of  a  visit  to  him  in  his  official  capacity,  in  relation  to  some 
abuse  near  my  residence  which  he  speedily  caused  to  be  corrected.  I 
found  him  pleasant  and  kind.  This  was  when  he  was  at  Castle  God- 
win. When  he  moved  down  to  Castle  Thunder  I  saw  him  oftener.  A 
great  many  of  my  neighbors  were  in  the  guard,  and  I  was  frequently 
called  to  see  prisoners.  I  often  remarked  that  I  never  saw  so  many 
prisoners  together  under  the  same  circumstances  kept  so  ordely.  They 
were  as  sprightly  as  any  people  I  ever  saw.     It  was  wonderful  to  me. 

Mr.    Ward. — Colonel,  tell  about  the  shooting  you  saw  there. 

Answer. — One  day  I  was  about  going  into  the  Castle  a  sentinel  was 
about  shooting  a  prisoner  at  a  window,  for  a  violation  of  the  rules, 
when  Captain  Alexander  interfered,  ordered  him  to  desist,  not  to  shoot, 
that  he  would  order  the  prisoner  to  be  put  in  irons  instead.  I  saw 
two  prisoners  shot  at  the  Libby  prison,  but  Captain  Alexander  had 
nothing  to  do  with  that. 

Question  by  the  Committee.. — What  other  kinds  of  punishment  did  you 
see  there  ? 

Answer. — I  saw  prisoners  wearing  a  barrel  shirt,  but"  that  inflicts 
no  pain. 

Question. — Is  it  not  degrading  to  the  soldier? 

Answer. — The  one  I  saw  did  not  think  so;  he  was  jesting  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Ward. — From  your  knowledge  cf  Captain  A.  and  his  treat- 
ment cf  prisoners,  do  you  think  him  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  consider  him  a  cruel  man  ;  by  no  means.  If  the 
prisoners  conduct  themselves  well  there  is  no  trouble  whatever. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Mr.  Childrey  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  a  more  honest  and  correct  man  cannot  be  found 
in  the  city  of  Richmond.  I  also  know  Mr.  Caphart,  and  Mr.  Thomas, 
another  officer  at  the  prison,  and  one  of  my  neighbors.  I  have  seen 
them  all  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  and  found  them  very  atten- 
tive. I  have  called  on  Captain  Alexander  to  send  a  squad  of  men  to 
my  neighborhood,  when  disturbed,  and  peace  has  been  restored. 

Captain  Thomas  P.  Turner,  commandant  of  the  Libby  prison,  sworn; 

By  Captain  Alexander. — Captain,  describe  in  your  own  terms  your 
ideas  of  my  treatment  of  prisoners. 

Ansioer. — Well,  I  regard  the  prison  as  exceedingly  well  regulated. 
The  discipline  maintained  has  been  good,  while  the  character  of  the 
inmates  are  the  worst  in  the  land.  I  regard  none  of  the  means  em- 
ployed to  control  them  too  severe  or  unnecssary  punishment. 

Question. — What  kind  of  punishment  do  you  inflict  when  any  is  ne- 
cessary ? 

Answer. — For  slight  offences  I  make  them  "  mark  time,"  and  for 
graver  offences,  I  "  buck"  them. 

Question. — Your  prisoners  are  Yankees,  and  not  Confederate  sol- 
diers ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  all  of  them. 


K  41 

By  Mr.  Ward.  You  have  sent  your  worst  cases  to  the  Castle,  have 
you  not  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  have. 

Question. — Is  the  order  to  shoot  an  escaping  prisoner  a  standing  or- 
der.'' 

Answer. — No,  I  make  my  own  orders,  and  have  them  approved  by 
General  Winder.  I  would  allow  no  man  to  be  shot  who  could  bo 
caught  without  shooting. 

Question, — If  a  prisoner  was  to  attempt  to  escape  from  your  prison 
by  running  up  stairs,  as  one  did  at  the  Castle,  would  you  consider  it 
the  duty  of  that  sentinel  to  shoot  him  ? 

Answer. — Not  unless  that  man  was  about  to  escape,  and  there  was 
no  possibility  of  capturing  him. 

Question. — Well,  does  a  prisoner  ever  escape  by  running  up  stairs  ? 

Answer. — Not  in  my  prison,  sir. 

Question. — Would  you  investigate  a  case  of  the  kind  ? 

Ansivcr. — Yes,  certainly,  and  report  the  fact3  to  headquarters. 

Question. — Did  you  send  a  deranged  man  to  Castle  Thunder,  and 
who  was  killed  there  in  attempting  to  escape  ? 

Ansivcr. — No  sir,  it  was  done  by  my  predecessor. 

Question. — If  a  derarged  man  was  brought  to  your  prison,  would 
you  not  consider  it  your  duty  to  warn  all  hands  that  he  was  deranged, 
in  order  to  guard  against  accidents,  or  to  confine  him  ? 

Answer. — It  would  be  very  difficult  to  know  what  to  do  with  him. 
The  deranged  man  Silas  Richmond,  who  was  killed  at  the  Castlet  was 
a  Yankee.  He  passed  the  guard  several  times  in  my  prison,  but  the 
guard  understood  he  was  crazy.  As  for  keeping  the  prisoners  in  the 
yard  at  the  Castle  over  night,  I  don't  know  anything  about  that. 


Saturday,  April  25,  1863. 

The  testimony  was  resumed  for  the  defence. 

Captain  Thomas  P.  Turner,  recalled. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — Were  you  ever  present  at  Castle  Thunder 
when  punishment  was  biing  inflicted  ? 

Answer. — Yres,  I  witnessed  one  whipping  not  by  order  of  court 
martial.  I  think  General  Winder  authorized  it.  Three  were  whipped, 
I  think  for  mal-treatment  of  other  prisoners,  stealing,  &c.  The  lashes 
were  laid  on  tolerably  harl,  one  receiving  twelve,  an  I  the  other  six 
and  a  third  only  three  lashes.  The  lashes  were  laid  on  with  a  leather 
strap,  about  eighteen  inches  long,  and  weighing  about  one  pound  and 
a  half.  The  lashes  were  laid  on  tolerably  hard,  but  left  no  mark ;  the 
skin  was  not  broken.  Captain  Alexander  had  been  instructed  to 
administer  twelve  lashes,  but  he  used  his  own  discretion  and  lessened 
the  number.  After  it  was  over  he  congiaulated  the  prisoners  in  the 
manliness  they  exhibited,  and  said  he  was  sorry  the  necessity  for  the 
infliction  of  such  punishment  existed. 


42 

r 

Question. — Did  you  hear  Captain  Alexander  say  "  lay  it  on  harder.'1 

Answer. — No  sir.  They  were  tied  up  by  the  wrists  around  a  post, 
except  one  who  said  he  could  not  stand  it,  and  he  was  allowed  to  clasp 
his  arms  around  the  post.  The  above  was  the  only  punishment  I 
saw  inflicted  there.  I  know  Captain  Alexander  well,  am  often  with 
him,  and  regard  him  as  a  kind  min. 

Question. — Is  Captain  Alexander  intemperate? 

Answer. — I  never  saw  him  intoxicated  in  my  life.  I  have  seen  him 
drink.     He  is  a  sociable  man,  and  will  take  a  drink  with  his  friends. 

Question  — What  is  the  character  of  the  inmates  of  the  Castle  ;  are 
they  mutinous  ? 

Answer. — Their  characters  are  various  ;  seme  of  the  most  desperate 
men  in  the  Confederacy  are  there.  I  was  for  a  time  the  officer  of  that 
post,  and  all  passed  through  my  hands.  Once  I  ordered  the  arrest  of 
two  of  my  guard,  and  sent  them  to  the  Castle.  They  were  no  sooner 
put  in  the  prisoners' room  than  they  were  set  upon,  beat,  their  clothing 
torn  off,  and  robbed  of  everything.  The  offenders  in  this  offence  were 
whipped.  I  don't  think  there  is  a  cleaner  prison  anywhere.  It  is 
kept  remarkably  neat  and  orderly. 

Question. — Did  you  ever  hear  any  complaints  respecting  Captain 
Alexexander's  conduct  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir,  not  until  this  committee  met.  I  know  he  is  a  strict 
disciplinarian,  and  keeps  things  straight  around  him.  His  punishment 
is  not  more  stringent  than  necessary,  I  suppose.  At  my  prison,  where 
all  are  Yankees,  I  have  no  need  for  such  modes  of  punishment.  No 
robberies  are  committed  among  the  prisoners,  for  their  money  is  all 
taken  away  from  them  when  they  enter,  and  given  back  to  them  when 
they  leave.     This  is  to  prevent  bribery. 

By  Mr.  Ward. — This  plan  was  for  some  time  in  practice  at  the 
Castle,  but  the  prisoners  would  hide  it  about  their  persons,  and  in 
their  boots. 

Question. — Have  you  any  instances  of  bribery  ? 

Answer. — No.  nothing  positive,  though  there  have  been  attempts. 

Lieutenant  Dennis  Callahan,  sworn. — I  am  the  adjutant  of  the 
Castle,  and  have  been  there  three  months. 

Question. — What  is  the  general  treatment  of  the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — In  my  opinion,  judging  from  the  time  I  have  been  there, 
the  prisoners  are  treated  as  well  as  they  could  be  under  the  circum- 
stances. 

Question. — What  is  the  character  of  the  prisoners  ? 

Answer. — Some  of  them  are  of  very  bad  repute.  I  have  seen  whip- 
ping and  bucking  as  punishment  for  stealing. 

Question. — Are  not  the  prisoners  fed  on  soldiers  rations  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  as  far»as  I  know  they  get  more  to  eat  than  our 
soldiers. 

Question. — Are  not  the  soldiers  among  the  prisoners  as  well  dressed 
as  the  soldiers  in  the  field. 

Answer. — As  a  general  thing,  I  should  say  they  were.  The  Captain 
has  interested  himself  in  obtaining  clothing  from  the  government 
authorities. 


43 

James  Jennings,  sworn. ---i  have  been  six  months  in  the  Castle,  and 
am  from  Maryland.  I  left  my  company  on  sick  leave,  and  was  walk- 
ing around  getting  well  when  arrested.  I  broke  out  after  two  months 
confinement,  and  started  for  my  company,  and  was  arrested  and  sent 
back,  my  company  being  disbanded. 

Question. — Have  you  been  kindly  treated? 

Answer. — Yes,  as  well  as  could  be  expected. 

Question. — Have  you  been  punished  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir.  I  was  put  in  the  cell  four  days,  I  thought  that 
perfectly  right.  It  was  for  writing  a  letter  and  sending  it  out  of  the 
prison  without  submitting  it  to  the  Captain.  The  cell  is  not  a  comfort- 
able place  ;  it  is  dry  but  cold.  I  suffered  from  the  cold,  and  was  fed 
on  bread  and  water.  1  think  I  was  kept  there  five  days.  I  thought 
the  letter  would  go  quicker  and  surer  by  sending  through  private 
hands.  I  am  seventeen  years  old.  I  don't  know  what  I  am  detained 
for. 

John  Dovle,  sworn. — I  have  been  in  the  Castle  now  four  weeks.  I 
don't  know  Captain  Alexander,  would  not  know  him  if  I  was  to  see 
him.  I  am  treated  as  well  as  the  others,  I  reckon.  I  never  wa3  pun- 
ished ;  in  fact  I  don't  deserve  it.  I  was  shot  at  once  in  the  window, 
or  at  least  I  thought  I  was  shot  at;  but  I  don't  believe  he  intended  to 
hit  me,  for  I  don't  deserve  it. 

Question. — Didn't  a  shot  go  through  your  hat  ? 

Answer. — Can't  tell  ;   there  is  a  hole  through  it. 

James  McClasher,  sworn. — I  am  a  seaman,  and  came  from  Wil- 
mington, N.  C.  I  came  here  when  the  war  broke  out.  I  have  not 
been  treated  by  Captain  Alexander  as  a  man  should  be  treated.  I  have 
been  tied  up  and  flogged  like  a  negro. 

Question. — How  many  lashes  did  you  receive  ? 

Answer. — Twelve,  I  think  ;  and  by  Captain  Alexander's  order  they 
were  laid  on  as  hard  as  I  could  well  have  stood  it. 

Question. — Was  the  blood  cut  out. of  you  ? 

Answer. — No  ;  but  I  was  black  and  blue,  and  was  sore  for  a  month 
afterwards.  I  was  whipped  with  a  strap  three  inches  wide,  and  the 
blows  were  laid  on  by  Caphart.  I  have  been  bucked  for  four  hours 
in  front  of  the  office  entrance,  where  everybody  could  see  me.  Buck- 
ing is  not  painful,  but  it  mortifies  and  makes  one  ashamed. 

Question  — Do  you  know  of  any  other  punishments  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  I  was  shot  at  once  for  standing  at  a  window  and 
looking  out.  The  ball  passed  my  head  and  went  up  through  the 
hospital,  which  was  full  of  patients. 

Mr.  WiNNB,  door  keeper  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  detailed 
before  the  committee  some  circumstances  of  his  treatment  at  the 
prison,  when  he  went  down  to  summon  some  officers,  and  the  purport 
of  his  conversation  with  several  witnesses,  which  not  being  to  the 
point  here,  is  omitted. 


44 

Monday,  JJpnl   27,    1863. 

Hon.  Judge  Ould,  sworn. 

Question  by  Capt.  Alexander. — You,  as  Judge  Advocate  of  the  court 
martial,  can  give  the  committee  some  idea  of  the  character  of  the 
prisoners  ? 

Answer. — The  most  of  the  cases  brought  before  me,  were  cases  of 
desertion,  coupled  with  theft,  and  cases  of  insubordination. 

Question. — Do  you  think  I  am  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  about  that.     I  do  not  think  you  are. 

Question. — What  do  you  think  about  me  carrying  out  an  order  ? 

Answer. — Being  a  military  man,  you  would  see  any  reasonable  order 
carried  out.  I  have  conversed  at  times  with  pe'rsons  who  have  been  in 
Castle  Thunder,  and  have  questioned  them  as  to  their  treatment  there. 
Never  heard  them  mention  any  cases  of  cruelty,  but  generally  the 
reverse.  There  has  been  half  a  dozen  sentenced  to  be  shot,  and  two 
condemned  to  be  hung.  We  have  never  resorted  to  the  death  penalty 
unless  the  case  presented  the  two  aggravated  phases,  first,  desertion, 
and  secondly,  desertion  in  face  of  the  enemy.  I  know  nothing  of  the 
punishments  by  the  commandant  of  the  Castle;  never  visited  it  in  my 
life,  that  I  know  of.  In  all  sentences  of  court  martial  the  lashes  were 
well  laid  on,  except  in  one  instance. 

Lieutenant  Peter  Callahan,  sworn. — Your  conduct  towards  the 
prisoners  has  been  as  kind  as  it  well  could  be  under  the  circumstances. 

Question  — What  is  my  conduct  towards  visitors  ? 

Answer. — I  always  thought  your  conduct  gentlemanly. 

Question. — One  of  the  witnesses  swore  that  he  saw  fifteen  men 
bucked  and  gagged  in  the  prison  ;  did  you  ever  see  such  punishment  ? 

Answer. — I  never  did,  and  never  heard  of  a  man  being  gagged 
there.  I  do  not  regard  bucking  as  adding  anything  to  the  disgrace  of 
a  man  who  lays  himself  liable  to  be  put  in  Castle  Thunder. 

Question. — How  do  you  know  that  these  men  were  guilty  of  any 
crime ;  inocent  men  are  sometimes  put  there ;  were  those  men  that 
were  bucked  found  guilty  of  any  crime  ? 

Answer. — I  do  not  know  that  they  were.  I  have  seen  soldiers  in 
the  army  more  severely  punished  than  at  Castle  thunder.  Have 
heard  of  men  standing  on  a  barrel  all  day  with  the  word  thief  written 
on  their  backs,  by  order  of  their  officers.  Men  are  often  bucked  in 
the  army  and  tied  up  by  the  thumbs. 

Question. — What  is  the  condition  of  Castle  Thunder  ? 

Answer. — I  believe  it  is  very  good. 

Question. — You  inspect  the  prison  every  morning  ? 

^Answer. — Almost  every  morning. 

Question. — Then  it  would  be  impossible  for  a  man  to  lie  in  his  filth 
behind  the  door  without  you  knowing  it  ? 

Answer. — It  certainly  would  be  difficult. 

Frederick  J.  Wiley,  sworn. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  been  at  the  Castle  ? 


45 

Answer. — Ever  since  it  was  established. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  known  me  ?  *■ 

Answer. — Ever  since  you  escaped  from  Fort  McIIenry. 

Question. — What  is  the  condition  of  the  prison. 

Answer. — As  clean  as  such  a  place  can  be  kept. 

Question.— What  is  the  position  of  your  room  ? 

Answer. — Where  I  can  hear  any  conversation  in  the  prisoners' 
room. 

Question. — What  language  have  you  heard  Kirby  use  ?, 
"  Answer. — I  have  heard  him  curse  General  Winder  and  yourself  and 
other  officials. 

Question. — Did  I  ever  do  anything  with  him  ? 
iswer. — No;    although  it  was  reported  to  you. 

Question. — Is  there  a  cell  in  the  castle  that  a  man  cannot  stand  up 
erect  in  ? 

Answer. — No,  there  is  not. 

Question — What  about  the  whipping? 

Answer. — I  have  seen  eight  men  whipped  without  order  of  the  court 
martial,  and  by  order  of  General  Winder. 

Question. — How  many  lashes  did  they  receive  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  think  they  received  six  lashes  apiece.  Some  of 
them  were  Yankee  deserters,  and  I  have  no  doubt  gome  of  them  were 
Confederate  soldiers. 

Question — Were  all  these  men  concerned  in  the  beating  of  the  old 
man  who  died  ? 

Answer. — The  prisoners  pointed  them  out,  and  they  were  their 
accessors. 

Question — What  authority  has  General  Winder,  or  anybody  else, 
to  whip  a  soldier  on  his  bare  back  ? 

Answer.- — I  don't  know,  sir. 

Question. — Do  you  know  anything  about  prisoners  being  put  out  in 
the  back  yard  ? 

Answer. — Yes.  They  were  put  out  there.  They  had  fire,  and  some 
of  them  had  blankets.  It  was  cold  weather,  and  the  wood  must  have 
been  furnished  them,  or  they  could  not  have  got  it.  There  were  about 
sixty  men  in  the  yard.  Captain  Alexander  ordered  me  to  pick  out 
any  that  were  s;ck,  and  I  picked  out  a  number.  The  second  night  I 
picked  out  a  number  more,  who  were  sick. 

Question. — Were  all  those  men  guilty  of  attempting  to  blow  up  the 
building  ? 

Answer. — I  don't  know,  sir. 

Question. — Is  it  reasonable  to  suppose  these  men  would  blow  up  the 
building  and  themselves  with  it. 

Answer. — There  are  men  without  one  redeeming  trait  in  their  char- 
acters ;  would  be  guilty  of  any  crime,  from  murder  down. 


46 
Tuesday,  April  28th,   1863. 

The  testimony  for  the  defence  was  continued. 

Frederick  F.   Wiley  recalled. 

Question. — Do  you  know  the  characters  of  McAlister,  Shehan  and 
Adams  ?  » 

Answer. — I  wa3  informed,  some  months  ago,  that  they  had  made  a 
rope  to  escape.  Went  to  McAlisters  cell,  and  askjd  him  for  it.  He 
said  he  had  none,  and  I  made  a  search  ;  McAlister  resisted  with  a 
spade  or  shovel ;  the  other  had  a  razor,  and  the  other  had  a  ball  and 
chain.  I  defended  myself,  and  drew  a  pistol.  I  found  the  ropo  in 
McAlister's  bag.  These  are  the  characters  of  men  we  have  to  deal 
with.  I  would  not  believe  McAlister  on  oath.  One-third  of  the 
blankets  distributed  there,  I  believe,  are  cut  up  to  make  ropes  where- 
with to  escape.  Men  are  brought  there  sometimes  with  plenty  of 
clothing  and  blankets,  and  if  we  are  not  careful  they  would  all  bo 
stolen  for  the  above  .purpose. 

Question. — What  do  you  think  of  Caphart  ? 

Answer. — I  think  him  one  of  the  best  officers  I  ever  saw.  If  you 
give  him  an  order  he  will  carry  it  out.  I  have  roomed  with  him,  and 
consider  him  a  kind  hearted  man.  I  never  saw  him  strike  a  man  unless 
he  had  cause. 

Questio?i.~ -On  the  night  the  prisoners  were  put  into  the  yard,  were 
not  those  who  looked  sick,  not  taken  back  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  by  your  order,  and  I  helped  to  sekct  them. 

Question.-  -Do  you  remember  people  on  the  street  being  in  danger 
from  missiles  thrown  from  the  windows  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  and  the  mayor  sent  down  word  that  it  must  be  stopped. 

Question. — Did  you  not  report  th^  conduct  of  prisoners  to  the  com- 
manding general  t 

Answer. — Yes;  and  he  sent  an  order  to  have  the  guilty  whipped. 

Question. — Have  I  not  always  expressed  solicitude  for  the  3ick  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  you  supplied  many  of  them  with  clothing  obtained 
from  the  battle  fields  around  Richmond.  Men  arc  brought  there  very 
badly  off  for  clothing. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Mr.  Riggs  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  sir,  I  know  him. 

Question.  —  Did  you  ever  see  him  drunk  ? 

Answr.- — Yes,  very  drunk,  and  abusive  to  you  in  your  office'.  You 
said  you  would  discharge  him  but  for  his  wife  and  children. 

Question. — Do  you  recollect  the  time  Riggs  went  into  the  citizens' 
room  ? 

An§iver.— ^1  have  known  Riggs  to  be  in  there  with  the  prisoners, 
disloyal  persons,  unionists,  &c,  up  to  midnight,  associating  with  them, 
drinking  whiskey.  My  room  adjoins  the  citizens'  room,  and  I  can 
hear  everything  said. 

Question. — Do  yo  think  Captain  Alexander  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer — No,  sir. 

Question. — How  did  I  treat  my  soldiers  I  took  down  to  the  army  ? 

Answer. — Eetter  than  most  of  them  in  the  army. 


47 

Question. — Was  the  Yankee,  who  was  shot,  running  in  the  direction 
that  he  could  escape. 

Answer. — The  steps  he  was  running  up  lead  to  a  porch,  from  whence 
he  could  have  escaped.  [The  witness  related  the  circumstances  of 
the  escape  of  the  prisoner  from  the  Libby  prison,  and  his  reception 
at  the  castle  for  safe  keeping.]  I  did  not  know  he  was  crazy,  and  was 
not  told  so.  He  called  me  to  him  before  he  died  and  asked  my  for- 
giveness for  anything  against  him.  [Witness  related  the  killing  of 
Charles  Carroll  alias  Byzcr,  over  the  portico,  while  attempting  to 
escape.]  I  believe  Campbell  was  the  cause  of  his  death,  as  he  got 
Carroll  to  draw  the  fire  of  the  guard,  so  he  could  get  out  unharmed. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  beenat  the  prison  ? 

Answer. — Since  its  establishment. 

Question. — How  many  men  have  you  seen  whipped  there  without 
court  martial  ? 

Answer. — Only  eight.  They  were  whipped  for  beating  an  old  man 
sixty  years  of  age,  from  which  he  like  to  have  died,  and  for  stealing. 
There  is  no  order  to  take  the  money  or  valuables  of  prisoners.  If 
they  want  to  give  them  up  we  take  them  and  give  them  receipts.  This 
was  until  recently. 

Question. — What  is  the  condition  of  the  yard  ? 

Answer. — It  is  a  hard  dirt  floor,  or  clay. 

Question  by  Captain  Alexander. — It  appears  from  the  evidence  that 
one  man  was  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  ? 

Answr — Yes  ;  the  only  man  I  ever  saw,  and,  by  your  order  I 
lowered  him  down.  His  offence  was  stealing  money  and  beating  a 
negro. 

Question  by  Capt.  Alexander. — Did  I  not  punish  a  man  for  punish- 
ing a  servant  without  my  order  ? 

Answer. — Yes  ;  your  orders  are  to  that  effect. 

Lieutenant  Bossieux  sworn. 

(Question. — Do  you  remember  the  putting  of  some  men  in  the  yard  ? 

Answer. — On  one  instance  a  number  were  in  the  yard  for  attempt- 
ing to  blow  up  the  building  with  powder.  The  first  night  others  at- 
tempted to  cut  out.  "I  staid  there  with  the  guard  and  caught  fifteen 
when  they  came  out.  It  was  very  pleasant  weather.  On  another 
occasion,  when  some  men  were  in  the  yard,  there  came  up  a  storm, 
and  I  notified  Mr.  Ward,  and  they  were  taken  in.  On  another  occa- 
sion four  Yankees  were  put  out,  and  it  snowed.     They  were  taken  in. 

Question. — Do  you  think  me  a  cruel  man  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir  ;  I  do  not. 

Qti  sfion. — Are  not  the  doors  of  the  cells  often  left  open  ?        # 

Answer. — Yes.     I  have  .opened  them  myself  often. 

Question  by  Mr.  Ward. — What  is  your  opinion  of  the  character  of 
the  men  there  ? 

Answer. — Yes;  there  are  some  of  the  worst  men  in  the  world,  and 
I  don't  believe  there  is  an  hour  that  they  are  not  concocting  some  plan 
to  escape.     I  dOnt  think  they  could  be  managed  with  less  itrictness. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  a  cell  a  man  cannot  stjnd  up  in  ? 


43 

Answer. — No,  sir. 

Question. — You  never  knew  of  any  secret  punishment  ? 

Answer. — No,  sir.  The  prisoners  are  generally  brought  out  where 
all  can  see  them. 

Question. — What  month  was  it  the  men  were  put  into  the  yard  ? 

Answer. — It  was  pleasant  weather.  I  was  out  all  that  night  with- 
out my  overcoat.  They  staid  there  two  days,  and  the  third  day  they 
were  taken  up. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  any  whipping  ? 

Answer. — I  have  heard  of  whipping;  never  saw  it.  The  whipping 
was  by  order  of  court  martial  and  was  laid  on  by  the  corporal  of  po- 
lice of  the  castle. 

Ques'.ion. — Do  you  know  any  punishment  not  of  an  ordinary  char- 
acter ? 

Answer. — I  recollect  one  circumstance.  It  was  two  men  tied  up  to 
a  post ;  don't  know  whether  by  the  thumbs  or  the  wrists.  Was  told 
it  was  for  robbing  some  prisoner  up  stairs.  Don't  know  how  long  they 
remained  in  that  position. 

Question  by  Capt.  Alexander. — Do  you  remember  me  telling  you  once 
that  to  abstain  from  shooting  some  whose  intended  escape  we  had  dis- 
covered ? 

Ansv>er. — Yes. 

Question  by  Committee. — What  are  your  instructions  in  regard  to 
prisoners  putting  their  heads  out  of  the  Avindows  ? 

Answer. — We  warn  them,  and  if  they  persist,  the  sentinels  fire  over 
them.  I  remember,  wljen  on  F.ranklin  street,  some  of  the  prisoners 
threw  the  sashes  out  of  the  windows,  and  tried  to  hit  some  of  my  men. 
They  also  threw  bricks  from  the  front  windows.  They  climbed  to  the 
chimney  and  took  bricks  and  threw  them  down. 

Question  by  Committee. — How  many  men  have  been  shot  by  your 
guard  ? 

Answer. — None  by  guard.  I  only  know  of  two  shot  there  at  all, 
the  crazy  Yankee,  and  the  man  Carroll.  We  could  have  shot  a 
hundred  men  there,  if  the  sentinels  had  been  so^isposed. 

Question  by  Capt.  Alexander. — Then  you  think  if  the  prisoners  be- 
have themselves  they  will  be  well  treated. 

Answer. — Yes,  I  do  ;  I  know  it. 

George  W.  Waoiack,  a  prisoner,  sworn. 

Qi  estion  by  Capt.  Alexander. — Do  you  think  a  man  put  in  the  Castle, 
if  he  behave  well,  would  he  not  be  treated  woll? 

Answtr. — I  do. 

Qmstion. — Did  you  ever  see  any  act  of  cruelty  there  ? 

Answer. — I  never  did,  sir. 

Question. — When  you  were  sick,  did  I  not  let  you  go  home  ? 

Answer. — You  did. 

Question. — When  before  the  court  martial,  did  I  not  act  as  your 
counsel  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  you  did. 

Question  by  Committee. — Where  are  you  from  ? 


49 

Answer. — I  am  from  Manchester,  and  am  in  the  Castle  on  the  charge 
of  desertion. 


Wednesday,  April  %9tk,  1863. 

Judge  Baxter, sworn. 

Question  — Judge,  state  what  you  know  of  the  condition  and  treat- 
ment of  prisoners. 

Answer. — Captain  Alexander  has  sent  for  me  to  examine  into  such 
cases  as  presented  mitigating  circumstances,  and  rcommended  their 
discharge  or  detention,  as  the  case  migh  the.  I  have  opportunities  of 
seeing  Captain  Alexander  and  the  prisoners.  My  belief  is  that  he  is 
peculiarly  qualified  to  control  such  a  body.  I  think  his  course  has 
been  one  of  great  humanity.  At  his  suggestion,  I  have  discharged 
prisoners.  There  have  been  cases  of  wrong  imprisonment  and  hard- 
ship. The  management  of  the  prison,  my  belief  is,  has  been  con- 
ducted with  ability,  and  by  measures  of  stringency  required  by  the 
character  of  the  prisoners.  What  was  the  police  regulations  of  the 
cells,  I  don't  know. 

Question. — Do  you  know  Kirby  ? 

Answer. — I  was  once  at  the  prison  for  the  purpose  of  examining  into 
cases,  and  Kit  by  was  in  the  room ;  and  I  requested  him  to  leave,  and 
he  complained.  Capt.  Alexander  had  induced  him  so  as  to  exclude 
him  from  the  mass  of  prisoners. 

Question  by  Capt.  Alexander. — Judge,  do  you  think  I  am  a  cruel 
man  ? 

Answer. — I  would  rather  take  you  to  be  a  kind  man  ;  but  firm  and 
resolute,  and  not  disposed  to  allow  any  of  your  orders  to  be  trans- 
gressed. 

Here  testimony  closed. 


Tesitmony  of  Dennis  O'Connor — Continued. 

Prisoner  is  still  required  to  report  every  morning  at  Castle  Thun- 
der upon  parole.  Mr.  F.  VViley,  an  officer  in  Castle  Thunder,  cursed 
and  abused  witness  this  morning;  charged  him  with  being  a  thief. 
The  abuse  was  caused  by  witness  having  been  called  upon  to  testify 
before  the  committee.  Wiley  has  been  in  the  habit  of  abusing  wit- 
ness. He  told  Wiley  that  he  was  in  his  power  and  compelled  to 
submit  to  his  abuse.  Wiley  cursed  the  Irish  generally,  and  is  in  the 
habit  of  abusing  prisoners  who  do  not  report  upon  their  comiades. 
Witness  is  acquainted  with  Lieutenant  Bossieux  Don't  know  what 
character  he  bears.  Atone  time  he  heard  Mr.  Wiley  curse  a  prisoner 
who  was  in  irons.  Witness  intended  to  join  Captain  Roger's  company, 
Robinson's  battalion  ;  denies  having  voted  in  the  election  for  officers  ; 
4 


50 

never  joined  19th  Mississippi  regiment;   never  was  a  substitute  for 
any  one. 


Testimony  of  Captain  W.  N.  Starke — Continued. 

Witness  states  that  he  has  been  assigned  to  duty  by  General  Win- 
der for  the  purpose  of  investigating  all  cases  of  political,  citizen  and 
and  military  prisoners,  and  of  obtaining  all  the  necessary  evidence  in 
relation  thereto.  Has  been  in  the  office  but  a  short  time,  and  the 
failure  to  bring  to  trial  or  discharge  many  prisoners  is  attributed  to 
the  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  necessary  evidence  both  for  the  prose- 
cution and  defence.  Witness  has  been  in  the  prison  several  times, 
and  found  it  well  regulated  and  cleanly. 

W.  N.  STARKE, 
Captain  and  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


Mr.  Riggs'  Testimony — Continued. 

-State  what  you  know  of  Mr.  Wiley's  treatment  of  prisoners. 

Answ  r. — It  i3  brutal  in  my  opinion.  He  cursed  Webster,  who  was 
hung  the  other  day,  while  Webster  was  in  double  irons.  His  language 
is  brutal  to  p  isoners,  in  my  opinion. 

Question. — Was  any  complaint  ever  made  to  Captain  Alexander,  or 
any  report  ever  made  in  regard  to  Wiley's  treatment  of  prisoners? 

Answer. — I  don't  know. 

Question. — You  being  there  as  acting  assistant  warden,  do  you  not 
think  is  was  your  duty  to  report  all  such  things? 

■  Jlnswer. — You  told  me  to  make  reports   in    writing.     I   did  not 
•consider  it  my  duty. 

Question. — Did  you  not  curse  the  guard  on  one  occasion  ? 

Answer. — I  have  no  recollection  of  so  doing. 


Statements,  taken  under  oath,  and  made  before  Robert  Ward,  at- 
torney. 

Statement  of  Lewis  J.  Blankenship  : 

Question. — How  long  have  you  been  in  Castle  Thunder  ? 

Answer. — I  came  about  the  29th  of  July,  1862,  and  have  been  ward- 
maeter  of  the  hospital  most  of  the  time. 

Question. — State  whether  you  know  that  Kirby  had  a  conversation 
with  McAlister  Adams  and  Shehan  in  regard  to  giving  testimony  be- 
fore the  congressional  committee ;  if  so,  state  all  you  know  about  it. 

Answer. — On  the  day  that  Mr,  Kirby  was   supoenaed  to  go  before 


51 

this  committee,  Mr.  Shehan  sent  down  into  No.  4  room  and  got  James 
McAlister  out,  and  asked  me  to  pass  him  into  No.  2  hospital  with 
Mr.  Kirby,  and  there  all  three  of  these  men  consulted  over  the  evi- 
dence which  they  were  to  give  before  the  committee.  Mr.  Shehan 
made  a  statement  of  his  evidence  which  he  was  going  to  testify  to  be- 
fore the  committee ;  wrote  it  out  and  gave  it'to  McAlister.  Mr. 
Shehan  also  wrote  out  Mr.  Kirby's  evidence  and  gave  it  to  McAlister, 
and  Macalister  gave  his  evidence  to  Shehan  and  Kirby.  Each  one  of 
the  three  had  a  written  statement  of  the  testimony  which  they  pro- 
posed to  give  before  the  committee.  The  morning  that  Mr.  Adams 
was  summoned  to  go  before  the  committee,  Mr.  Shehan  took  Mr. 
Adams  into  Mr.  Kirby  s  room,  and  he  and  Mr.  Kirby  told  Adams 
what  they  had  testified  to,  and  they  wanted  Mr.  Adams  to  come  as  near 
as  he  could  stating  the  same  things  before  the  committee,  and  also  told 
him  as  near  as  they  could  their  own  testimony,  and  requested  him  to 
repeat  the  same  as  near  as  he  could. 

Question — Do  you  think  there  was  a  combination  on  the  part  of 
these  men  to  injure  Captain  Alexander  if  possible  ? 

Answer. — I  do,  sir ;  I  know  that  from  the  conversation  they  have 
had  with  me. 

Question. — State  what  conversation  you  allude  to. 

Answer. — I  have  heard  Mr.  Shehan  say  that  Captain  Alexander 
was  nothing  but  a  God  damned  loafer  ;  that  he  intended  to  get  him 
out  of  here  if  he  possibly  could  ;  that  nobody  suited  this  place  but 
Mr.  Higgs,  and  that  if  Mr.  Riggs  were  captain  of  this  prison  he  could 
get  out  whenever  he  pleased  ;  that  Captain  Alexander  was  not  fit  to 
have  command  of  a  parcel  of  hogs.  Long  before  this  committee  was 
appointed  I  have  heard  McAlister  say  that  Captain  Alexander  had 
done  all  he  could  to  have  him  shot,  and  that  if  he  ever  had  it  in  his 
power  he  would  have  his  revenge  out  of  him.  About  two  days  be- 
fore he  was  summoned  he  said  every  dog  had  his  day  and  that  his  day 
had  just  come.  Mr.  Kirby,  Mr.  Shehan,  and  McAlister  all  knew 
that  the  committee  was  going  to  enter  into  the  examination  of  Castle. 
Thunder,  and  the  three  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr.  Riggs  about  the  com- 
mittee before  it  was  appointed,  and  after  Mr.  Riggs  had  been  dis- 
charged from  Castle  Thunder.  I  don't  know  that  Mr.  Riggs  ever  got 
the  letter,  but  I  am  confident  the  letter  went  out  of  the  building  by 
private  hands.  That  letter  stated  that  a  committee  was  going  to  bo 
appointed  to  examine  into  things  here  at  Castle  Thunder,  and  they 
wished  him  to  lay  the  letter  before  Congress,  and  if  he  did  not  like  to 
do  it  himself  to  give  it  to  Mr.  Blane,  the  hospital  steward. 

Question. — State  what  was  the  character  of  these  men. 

Answer.-- -In  regard  to  McAlister,  I  staid  in  No.  4  room  with  him  for 
about  four  weeks,  and  during  the  time  I  was  in  the  room,  I  don't  think  a 
night  passed  that  some  robbery  of  clothes,  hats,  shoes,  or  money  was 
not  committed  by  some  one  in  the  adjacent  large  room,  and  handed  to 
McAlister  through  a  crack  or  hole  which  he  had  cut  through  the  par- 
tition which  separated  the  two  rooms,  and  received  by  him  and  sold 
by  him  whenever  he  got  opportunity  to  sell.  Frequently  these  stolen 
things  were  handed  to  McAlister  through  the  crack  by  Shehan  who 


52 

was  then  on  his  parole,  and  acting  as  corporal  of  the  police  about  the 
building.  I  don't  know  anything  dishonest  about  Mr.  Kirby,  but  I 
know  of  Mr.  Adams  having  stolen  a  pair  of  boots,  and  selling  thera 
to  McAlister,  and  also  he  stole  four  sheets  out  of  the  hospitals  which 
I  found  in  his  knapsack.  He  also  stole  a  blanket  from  the  hospital 
which  I  also  found  in'his  possession. 

Question. — What  is  the  conduct  of  the  men  generally  who  have  been 
in  Castle  Thunder  ? 

Answer. — The  largest  proportion  of  the  men  are  real  rascals  ;  guilty 
of  cutting  the  building  for  the  purpose  of  escaping,  fighting,  abusing 
each  other,  committing,  robberies  and  bribery  of  sentinels. 

Question. — Have  you  seen  any  punishments  inflicted  in  this  prison  ? 

Answer. — None,  sir,  but  what  I  thought  were  well  deserved.  I  saw 
a  man  of  Wheat's  battalion  whipped  for  desertion  by  sentence  of  court 
martial.  I  heard  Captain  Alexander  tell  him  he  was  sorry  to  have  it 
to  do  but  he  was  obliged  to  do  it.  Samuel  Lebrick,  the  name  of  the 
man  who  was  whipped,  shook  hands  with  the  corporal  of  the  police, 
and  asked  him  for  a  drink  of  whiskey,  which  was  given  him  by  order 
of  Captain  Alexander.     He  was  whipped  very  lightly. 


Statement  of  J.  B.  Evans. 

Question. — How  long  have  you  been  in  Castle  Thunder  ? 

Answer. — I  have  been  here  about  ten  weeks. 

Question. — Do  you  know  of  any  combination  among  the  prisoners 
to  injure  the  reputation  of  Captain  Alexander  in  any  manner  ?  If 
so,  please  state  it. 

Answer. — I  saw  Shehan,  Adams  and  McAlister  before  they  went 
before  the  committee,  go  to  Mr.  Kirby,  and  they  asked  him  what  they 
should  say  before  the  committee.  I  have  heard  McAlister  and  Adams- 
both  say  thac  they  would  swear  to  anything  to  injure  the  Captain. 
Adams  said  that  if  he  had  one  more  chance  to  go  before  the  committee 
he  would  swear  that  Captain  Alexander  was  always  drunk. 

Question. — What  is  the  character  of  these  men  ? 

Answer. — They  are  of  a  desperate  character.  Adams  told  me  he 
had  been  in  the  penitentiary  twice.  I  have  heard  Shehan  say  that  he 
has  received  money  from  prisoners  to  get  them  out  when  he  was  cor- 
poral of  the  police,  and  I  heard  Adams  say  that  he  had  taken  fifty 
dollars  from  Captain  Callan.  I  heard  McAlister  send  word  to  Kirby 
to  have  him  summoned,  that  he  would  like  to  have  a  chance  to  swear 
against  the  Captain  ;  he  would  do  all  he  could  to  injure  him. 

'Question.-— Do  you  know  whether  Mr.  Kirby  ever  sent  out  letters 
privately  from  the  building  ? 

Answer. — Yes,  I  have  seen  him  send  them  out  and  receive  them, 
through  private  sources. 


53 

■State  of  Virginia,    )  w      \,  . 
City  of  Richmond,  ) 

I,  Robert  D.  Ward,  do  certify  that  the  foregoing  statements  made 
4)y  Lewis  J.  Blankenship  and  J.  B.  Evans,  were  sworn  to  by  them 
respectively,  before  me.  Given  under  my  hand  this  28th  day  of  April, 
1863. 

R.  D.  WARD.  V.  P. 


Walker's  Artillery  Battalion,       ) 
Camp  Maury,  near  Milford,  April  26,  1863.  $ 

Dear  Captain  :  The  summons  of  Hon.  C.  C.  Herbert,  directing 
me  to  appear  before  the  special  committee  of  Congress,  on  the  23d 
inst.,  did  not  reach  me  until  yesterday  the  25th  inst.  I  immediately 
applied  for  leave  of  absence  to  enable  me  to  obey  the  summons,  but 
found  that  no  officer  of  the  army  will  be  allowed  to  take  the  cars,  ex- 
cept upon  the  special  order  of  General  Lee. 

My  application  for  two  days  leave  (enclosing  the  summons)  has 
been  forwarded  through  the  regular  channels  to  General  Lee,  and  it 
-will  be  over  a  week  before  it  can  be  heard  from.  I  fear  that  the  d«- 
liberations  of  the  committee  will  be  closed  before  I  can  obtain  permis- 
sion to  leave  camp. 

If  you  think  it  important  for  me  to  appear  before  the  committee 
without  delay,  you  might  procure  an  order  from  the  Secretary  of 
War,  directing  my  immediate  appearance. 

If  the  committee  anticipates  remaining  in  session  over  a  week, 
please  advise  me  of  the  fact  and  I  will  go  down  as  soon  as  General 
Lee's  permit  is  received. 

I  assure  you  it  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  bear  testimony  to  the 
systematic  and  able  manner  in  which  you  have  managed  the  provost 
prison  under  your  charge,  and  to  the  humanity  and  kindness  with 
which  you  have  treated  the  prisoners  in  your  custody. 

You  have  the  greatest  talent  for  controlling  and  managing  des- 
perate characters,  and  I  have  often  said  that  I  do  not  believe  that 
there  is  another  man  in  the  Southern  Confederacy  who  can  fill  your 
present  position. 

Hoping  that  the  report  of  the  committee  will  triumphantly  vindi- 
cate you,  (as  it  will  do)  from  the  malicious  charges  which  have»been 
preferred  against  you, 

I  remain  your  friend, 

GREENLEE  DAVIDSON. 


54 

Headquarters,  Department  of  Henrico,      ) 
Richmond,  April  28,  1863.  ] 

Captain  Alexander, 

Sir:  In  reply  to  your  communication,  I  state  that,  in  consequence 
of  the  violent  proceedings  of  the  prisoners  in  blowing  up  the  build- 
ing, garroting  and  using  slung  shot  upon  the  newly  arrived  prisoners, 
robbing  and  endangering  their  lives,  I  gave  you  orders  to  punish  these 
ruffians  severely,  and  if  necessary,  to  resort  to  coporeal  punishment. 
Respectfully, 

J  NO.  H.  WINDER,  Brigadier  General. 


CAPTAIN  ALEXANDER'S  DEFENCE. 


Castle  Thunder,  Richmond,  April  13,  1863. 

To  the  Honorable  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  C.  S.  A., 
for  the  investigation  of  Castle  Thunder: 

Gentlemen  :  Bonaparte  said :  "  That  the  first  requisite  in  an  officer 
was  health,  the  second  temper ;  without  the  first  the  second  is  seldom 
found,  and  without  the  second,  a  good  officer,  mingling  the  gentleman 
with  the  commander,  cannot  exist." 

"The  elephant  is  never  won  with  anger, 
Not  should  the  man  who  ironld  r<  claim  the  lion 
Take  him  hy  the  teeth." 

There  is  nothing  so  degrading  to  an  officer  of  rank  as  an  intempe- 
rate reprimand,  and  before  his  inferiors.  If  he  he  respectful,  as  he 
would  have  others  respect  him,  and  forgets  not  that  he  is  a  gentleman,  his 
conduct  is  said  to  have  merited  the  rebuke  from  his  not  having  defended 
it.  If  both  parties  loose  their  temper,  a  court  martial  follows,  and 
neither  party  gains  by  the  result.  To  make  a  good  officer,  a  man 
must  be  a  gentleman,  and  they  are  inseparable.  The  man  who  cannot 
command  his  tongue,  is  the  worst  man  to  Entrust  with  any  command. 
The  supercilious  and  the  arrogant,  always  meet  from  men  endowed 
with  common  sense  the  contempt  such  frivolity  deserves. 

So  much  for  my  opinion  of  a  man  placed  at  the  head  of  any  public 
affair.  Now,  I  will  proceed  to  state,  in  as  concise  a  manner  as  possi- 
ble, my  views,  which  I  respectfully  submit  to  your  honorable  notice. 
This  subject  I  feel  I  cannot  handle,  although  fraught  with  some  interest 
to  you,  and  much  anxiety  to  me.  When  this  cruel  war  was  forced 
upon  us,  on  the  secession  of  Virginia  I  was  among  the  first  to  resign 
from  the  old  navy,  and  take  up  arms.  I  chose  the  army,  and  shoul- 
dering my  musket,  enrolled  myself  as  a  private.  My  career  and 
advancement  since  then  is  known.  I  followed  my  unfortunate  leader 
far  within  the  enemy's  lines,  never  questioning  an  order,  but  obeyed  all ; 
never  asking,  where  go  we  ?  We  fell.  I  suffered;  but  thank  God  escaped 
from  the  tyranny  of  the  "  usurper  of  rights,"  and  have  tried  to  deal 
them  some  good  blows.  My  injuries  placed  me  in  command  of  this 
post.  Here,  I  have  tried  to  do  ray  duty,  and  no  matter  what  may  be 
said  or  done,  you  cannot  keep  this  strong  right  arm  idle  ;  it  shall  work, 
either  as  an  officer  or  private,  until  we  achieve  what  we  are  all  strug- 
gling for — the  vindication  of  a  sacred  right;  self-government.  I 
trust  I  have  clearly  demonstrated  to  this  honorable  body  the  character 


56 

of  the  men  who  have  "been  committed  to  my  care — the  murderer,  the 
robber,  the  deserter,  the  substitute  deserter,  the  pickpocket,  and  worst 
of  all,  the  skulker ;  the  man  who  by  his  skulking  endangers  his  com- 
rades ;  therefore,  worse  than  the  murderer.  The  spy,  the  ^construc- 
tionist, the  disloyal;  all,  all  that  are  inimical  to  our  glorious  cause 
are  thrust  upon  me.  Why  ?  Because  this  Castle  is  the  only  penitentiary 
the  Confederacy  has.  I  have  proved  that  rules  and  regulations  were 
regularly  distributed  ;  that  they  were  repeatedly  told  that  punishment 
would  follow  a  persistency  in  wrong  doing.  That  the  place  only 
acquired  a  bad  name  by  the  conduct  of  the  fiends  that  inhabited  it ; 
and  that  punishment  were  only  resorted  to  when  it  became  absolutely 
necessary,  and  it  had  become  unsafe  for  a  man  to  enter  the  wards.  I 
!have  proved  that  while  our  noble  army  wae  in  the  field  subsisting  on 
corn,  these  fiends  were  being  fed  on  full  rations,  and  then  would  refuse 
positively  to  rejoin  their  suffering  comrades,  and  could  only  be  forced 
there  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 

That  some  men  were  whipped  on  the  back,  is  true.  Does  it  appear  in 
the  voluminous  evidence  that  there  was  a  single  man,  not  by  the  order  of 
a  court  martial,  or  one  from  a  State  represented  by  any  representa- 
tive in  our  legislative  halls.  It  was  represented  by  one  of  the 
witnesses,  that  men  were  tied  up  by  the  thumbs  and  gagged.  The 
witness,  who,  by  the  way,  was  proven  to  have  been  discharged  from 
his  place  for  "  moral  incapacity,"  is  certainly  mistaken,  or  saw  it  in 
one  of  his  drunken  dreams,  for  it  does  not  appear  in  the  evidence, 
and  I  say  it  is  not  so.  In  fact,  I  think  that  if  those  horrid  brutalities 
existed,  the  witnesses,  or  whoever  made  the  statement,  were  very 
culpable  to  report  them  only  when  they  were  turned  disgracefully 
away  from  this  place.  A  man  who  knows  a  wrong  to  exist  and  re- 
ports it  not,  is  more  guilty  than  the  wrong  doer.  I  might  here  state 
that  evidence  also  shows  that  when  the  hordes  of  .the  invader  threat- 
ened close  our  walls,  I  did  not  rest  safe  within,  but  threw  myself  into 
the  breach,  and  when  the  smoke  of  battle  receded,  and  we  were  again 
free  from  their  accursed  presence,  I  turned  my  attention  to  the  care 
of  those  brave  men  who  shed  their  blood  in  our  defence,  and  who, 
maimed,  were  bourne  to  my  doors.  Many  remember  the  little  hospital 
of  the  "  Angel  of  Mercy,"  where  thirty  beds  were  always  kept,  and 
the  brave  were  cared  for  by  a  pale,  little  Virginia  woman — my  wife. 
Do  the  records  6how  the  loss  of  a  single  limb  or  life  from  that  hos- 
pital, or  do  they  show  a  single  bill  paid  by  the  Confederate  States 
government,  for  its  support?  I  do  not  like,  gentlemen,  to  recount 
these  things,  but  I  am  a  stranger  to  you,  and  I  would  rather  you 
would  condemn  me  to  be  shot  than  to  promulgate,  upon  such  evidence 
as  you  have  had  before  you — from  your  legislative  halls — that  I  am 
cruel.  There  are  men  in  your  honorable  body,  who  know  me  and 
know  my  career.  All  men  conversant  with  military  law,  know  that 
if  a  man  persists  in  passing  a  sentry  without  the  countersign,  he  risks 
his  life.  That  two  men  have  been  shot  here,  is  also  true ;  one,  an 
Irishman,  who  substituted  for  a  gentleman  from  Halifax,  and  the  same 
night  deserted,  while  in  sight  of  the  enemy;  afterwards  captured, 
locked  up  here,  and  persisting  in  an  attempt  to  escape,  was  killed. 


57 

Another,  a  Yankee,  who,  rushing  past  the  sentry,  attempted  to  fly  by 
the  back  entrance — killed — they  say  he  was  crazy.  The  sentry  did 
not  know  it;  nor  I,  or  I  might,  for  I  believe  one  half  of  them  are 
crazy. 

I  have  demonstrated  here  before  this  honorable  committee  that  some 
characters  that  have  been  committed  here  to  my  charge  have  been 
without  a  redeeming  point.  I  have  appealed  in  every  way  to  them, 
until  at  last  endurance  was  worn  out,  and  corporeal  punishment  did 
much  good.  Does  it  appear  from  the  evidence  that  Southern  volun- 
teers were  ever  struck  except  by  officer  Causey  in  self  defence  ?  Tho 
committee  have  been  made  aware  of  the  immense  number  of  prisoners 
I  have  handled — thousands — and  yet  it  appears  that  only  about  twenty 
have  been  punished.     Does  that  look  cruel  ? 

Are  not  soldiers  in  camp  when  guilty  of  little  peccadilloes  bucked 
and  made  to  ride  a  cannon  or  a  wooden  horse  ?  These  fiends  are  only 
bucked;  is  that  in  comparison  cruel  ?  This  being  a  receptacle  for  all 
that  is  bad,  would  I  not  have  been  justifiable  had  I  been  present  when 
that  master-fiend,  Webster,  who  expiated  his  crimes  on  the  gallows, 
contemplated  murder,  and  attempted  to  escape,  to  have  shot  him  or 
ordered  my  guard  to  do  so. 

Have  I  not  proven,  by  the  very  prisoners  themselves,  whom  I  have 
taken  ad  libitum,  that  the  character  of  many  of  the  prisoners  is  terrible, 
and  that  I  have  been  lenient  ?  Have  I  not  proven  that  I  have  done 
many  acts  of  kindness  and  charity,  yea,  many,  far  outnumbering  the 
alleged  cruelties  ?  Have  I  not  proven  that  the  only  witnesses  who 
seem  to  think  I  have  been  in  the  least  cruel,  knew  of  these  things 
before,  and  only  reported  them  when  they  had  been  sent  away  from 
the  prison,  as  being  no  farther  of  any  use  ?  Have  I  not  proven  my 
vigilance  and  strict  adherence  to  right,  and  my  energy  in  carrying 
out  all  orders  of  my  superiors  ?  Have  I  not  proven  my  economy  and 
personal  supervision  to  prevent  extravagance  or  waste  of  all  govern- 
ment stores  committed  to  my  charge  ?  Have  I  not  proven  that  by  my 
own  individual  exertions,  I  have  clothed  many  prisoners  who  were 
being  sent  to  the  field  ?  When,  as  some  of  the  witnesses  say,  were 
men  exposed  to  the  weather  ?  Have  I  not  proven  their  infernal  char- 
acter, and  were  not  their  comrades  at  that  time,  whom  they  had  shame- 
fully deserted,  fighting  our  battles,  and  sleeping  on  the  cold  ground, 
without  tent  or  other  cover  than  the  canopy  of  heaven. 

I  woula  here  say  a  few  words  about  the  witnesses  examined.  Mr. 
Bland,  a  hospital  steward,  whom  it  appears,  from  the  evidence,  was 
a  man  not  fit  to  be  about  a  public  institution,  his  depravity  was  such 
that  he  was  disgracefully  ordered  away.  lie  says  he  was  five  months 
in  a  Yankee  prison  and  saw  better  treatment.  I  rather  think  that 
that  argues  badly  for  Mr.  Bland,  for  while  I  was  a  prisoner  among 
that  hateful  people,  the  only  one  I  saw  treated  well  was  one  who, 
sycophant-like,  courted  favor  at  their  hands.  I  was  kept  in  a  cell 
seven  by  four  for  three  weeks,  that  cell  underground  and  no  window; 
moreover,  prisoners  of  war  arc  entitled  to  better  treatment  than 
murderers,  deserters,  spys,  &c. 

Witness  No.  2,  Kirby,  the    spy.     I  hardly    think   it  fair  to   take 


58  . 

prisoners'  evidence;  but  I  waive  that  and  challenge  the  whole  prison. 
His  evidence  shows  that  although  he  is  incarcerated  as  that  most  hate- 
ful of  all  things,  a  spy  ;  yet  he  is  put  in  the  best  room  in  the  Castle, 
has  a  fire,  good  bed  and  is  allowed  to  purchase  anything  from  the  out- 
side that  he  may  require.  Oh  !  gentlemen,  does  this  look  cruel  ?  And 
then  he  is  only  removed  from  this  room  when  the  true  instincts  of  the 
beast  were  developed  and  he  proves  to  be  a  low-born  blackguard. 

Witness  No.  3.  One  Adams,  who  served  out  a  term  in  the  peni- 
tentiary, was  pardoned  during  a  second  term,  and  deserted  in  sight  of 
the  enemy. 

Witness  No.  4.  A  man  who  will  not  tell  where  he  is  from,  and  is 
sentenced  to  three  years  imprisonment. 

Witness  No,  5.  Shehan,  a  deserter,  a  man  who  has  broken  his 
parole,  and  since  he  has  given  in  his  evidence  has  again  deserted  his 
comrades.  One  or  two  others  close  the  list,  and  the  least  said  about 
them  the  better. 

Gentlemen,  I  leave  the  matter  in  your  hands,  well  satisfied  the  ac- 
tion you  take  will  be  just  action.     I  stand  before  the  people  and  press 
of  this  country,  and  invite  at  any  time  the  strictest  investigation. 
I  am,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

G.  W.  ALEXANDER. 
A.  A.  G.  and  A.  P.  M.  commanding  Castle  Thunder. 


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